Sam
by Sydneyking
Summary: How Frozen really went. SMUT. OC. In a world where Guardians exist and go through the realms of Earth, Sam, a young Guardian, must become an Arendelle Guard to protect the one who she was bonded and sworn to protect: Elsa. Elsa/Sam. Is a bit long, does take some commitment...
1. Chapter 1

These are the first three chapters. I'm going to try to upload three(ish) chapters per week. Hope you enjoy! Please comment, rate, etc.

Chapter I

"Don't let them in. Don't let them see."

She never wanted anyone to see.

"Be the good girl you always have to be."

She hadn't been good for a while now.

"Conceil. Don't feel."

That was impossible.

"Put on a show. Make one wrong move and everyone will know."

How they didn't already know was a surprise to her.

"But it's only for today."

More like every day.

"It's agony to wait."

She'd been waiting for three years. It never gets easier.

"Tell the guards to open up the gate."

Since Sam left, she never wanted those gates to open again.

Elsa stood at her window, watching the crowd surge into the castle. Anna was running through the mass, letting her inner child run free. Elsa could understand some of Anna's excitement...if she liked people. Honestly, she detested them. Ever since Sam-

"Your Majesty?" Elsa sighed deeply. She hated when they called her that.

"Robert, you've known me too long to be calling me by my mother's title."

"To-be your title, Your Majesty."

"Well, I hate it. Call me Elsa."

"Yes Your Majesty." Elsa glared at him through the corner of her eye. Robert, the guard in her doorway, shrugged. "Halvdan's orders, Your Majesty."

"The orders of a guard top the orders of the Queen?" Elsa turned to Robert, who was turning pale. "Well you insisted on pointing out my 'to-be title'."

"Your Majesty, I apologize-"

"Robert." He started at her. "Just Elsa."

"But Your Majesty-"

"That's all I want to hear about it, Robert. Please, Elsa is preferred-"

"He'll fire me!" Elsa watched Robert carefully as he tried to fix his composure. "Your Majesty, I'm to call you by your royal title. Order to all guards who wish to keep their uniforms." Elsa fiddled with her gloves, contemplating what she just heard.

"Send Halvdan to me."

"Your Majesty, he's helping with the ceremony-"

"I will not have him ordering such threats amongst my guards. I need them to protect me because they want to, not because they're scared into it. Bring him to me immediately."

"Yes Your Majesty." Robert saluted and left, his green uniform ruffled from speeding towards Halvdan. Elsa sighed once more, knowing what was putting Halvdan on end. Rumors had spread about a young assassin sneaking into the coronation this afternoon. Elsa and Halvdan knew the people were not actually discussing a real assassin. They were hinting at Sam.

Chapter II

"This is a bad idea."

"Yup."

"They'll catch you."

"Yup."

"Sam, Halvdan is the Captain of the Guard now. He knows-"

"We can only hope so."

"This isn't funny. You're wanted for treason against Arendelle."

"I was a guard for Arendelle. Captain, if I remember correctly."

"Sam, stop it."

"Stop what? Pointing out my past achievements?"

"This attitude is going to get you killed."

"Jake, I've always been this way. It's not like I'm acting any different than I have any other day of my existence."

"Yes. That's probably why you're wanted for treason."

"I'm wanted for treason because daddy didn't like me sleeping with his daughter."

"Well 'daddy' is the King of Arendelle."

"Was. And it's not my fault she's pretty. And insistive." Jake rolled his eyes as he fixed Sam's collar. "You know, it's all your fault really."

"What?"

"That I'm a criminal."

"Why's that?"

"Because, to sleep with a princess, you need to have a wide range of experience with the sexual arts." Sam smiled wolfishly at Jake, who was stunned. "Oh don't be so modest; it was all because of your teachings I ever did half the things I did to that poor girl. And this fasion sense of yours is fantastic-" Sam continued, turning to see the entire outfit Jake had picked out in the mirror. A white dress shirt with a blue overcoat, brown dress pants, black boots that went up to the knee, and a navy blue hat with a large golden feather on top. "I look like a classic French nobleman."

"You look like a nobleman invited to a coronation who can't fix his God damn collar." Jake turned Sam around once more, trying to fix the dress shirt. Sam watched him carefully, noticing his rigid posture, his shaky hands, and his worried eyes. "If you get caught, I'll kill you myself. You know that, right?" Sam couldn't help but smile at Jake.

"I'll be fine. You know that." Sam checked the outfit in the mirror, tilted the hat to the left to cover the deep, unmistakable green eyes that anybody and everybody could recognise, kissed Jake on the cheek, fixed the collar, and started to leave.

"Why do I care about you, Asshole?" Sam smiled at the routine conversation they had every time Sam was about to do something considerably stupid.

"Because you're my best friend. God only knows why."

Chapter III

Halvdan glared into the morning light, focusing on every face which passed through the front gate. He knew damn well the notorious traitor to the crown, Sam Williams, was going to sneak into the coronation. Everyone knew it. The adults listening to their neighbors. The children skipping in the streets, singing songs like "the Assassin's Return to Arendell, the man who rang the King's bell, sank his ship, crash his course, now he plays with the old man's corpse", even the elders were stirring up trouble, saying if the Assassin showed up, the coronation might be worth attending. Halvdan didn't agree; if Sam returned, all hell would break loose, especially since the Duke of Weasle Town...pardon, Westleton, was here.

Halvdan had all but five of his men scouting the crowd. Each of them stood erect, eyes zoned onto every face. He told them all to find a male, dressed as a soldier or a noble, appearing out of no where, roughly six feet in height, dirty blond hair, intense green eyes, knows the grounds too well for any visitor. He knew Sam well, so he told them every single detail about the past Captain of the Guard. It got to the point where he had to approximate things so the guards weren't overwhelmed with specific details.

He looked on with his other men with his specific details, however. Height: five feet, eleven and three-fourths inches. Hair: dirty blond, length slightly past the ears. Eyes...Halvdan couldn't think about the eyes that plagued him every night. Those intense, deep, rich green eyes that reminded him of the emeralds from the coast of the Southern Isles. The eyes that he trained with, worked with, partnered with, fought with, lying his life down on the line with till the day they were banished from Arendelle. Every time he imagined them, he was sent back in time to when those eyes were seen daily…


	2. Past: Chapter I

The Past: Chapter I

Halvdan

He stood there, beaming. He walked with his shoulders back and his head high, allowing his hair to do that annoying bouncy thing it did when he walked with his nose in the air. Today was the day that started his whole life; he, Halvdan, son of the glove maker, was becoming an Arendelle Guard. Sure, he was but five years old and only three feet in height, but he made sure to make every stride with his tiny feet mean something from this day until his last. He was going to protect the King and Queen of Arendelle! Fighting bandits. Tackling monsters. Bringing justice. Dressing in the green Arendelle guard , he could hardly contain his excitement.

His father, however, looked grim.

"Now son, you know...you know the recruiters pick a lot of kids every year-"

"Nah-uh Dad. They pick only seven every year."

"Well, I mean...son, there's always next year."

"Dad, most guards go in this year."

"Yes, but...but just because you can run doesn't mean-"

"Dad, I was first pick for my age. I'm fast and I'm smart."

"You're right! You are fast and you are smart! But don't you think there's a better use for your skills than...I mean, if you like running, we can put you in cross country or...or...you are smart, so...why not be a doctor or, or an accountant?"

"Dad, I want to be a guard. There's no doubt about it." His father sighed, clenching Halvdan's hand tightly as they reached the castle. Suddenly, his father turned around and kneeled before him, holding both of his hands.

"Halvdan, once you go, you can't get out of it. You can't change your mind later on. You have so many interests and talents-" Many boys gathered at the palace stairs at this time, sons hugging their mothers and fathers goodbye. Since Halvdan only had his father, he already stood out from amongst the crowd of twenty-so kids and their families, not counting this conversation's escalation.

"Dad-"

"You love math! Why don't you do something-"

"I don't want to-"

"How about science, son? That's a great-"

"Dad, I don't-"

"What about-"

"DAD!" His father went silent. "Dad, you're embarrassing me in front of the guards! Please...this is what I want to do. I'm positive. I wanna do this." His father sighed again, his eyes falling to the ground.

"...you can't come home...for any reason…"

"I know Dad-"

"Yeah, well what if you get home sick, huh? You're just a boy! What if-" Suddenly, something red and juicy hit the back of Halvdan's head. "Halvdan! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," grumbled Halvdan, looking around with his father for the culprit who ruined his only nice dress shirt. The boys around him laughed while their parents, holding back giggles themselves, told their children to stop. Halvdan turned red. Oh God, the humiliation!

Suddenly, another red, juicy object hit another boy, this time straight in the face. More red, juicy objects flew at other boys, and what was a laughing matter became a scene of panic as boys ducked and dodged the flying fruit. Halvdan overheard muffled laughter as the chaos grew.

"What is going on here?" All the boys stopped in their tracks. It was Captain Alexander of the Arendelle Guard, a man who deserved the utmost respect for his fifty years of service to the force. That respect was only given by the recruits, however. One of the fruits hit Captain Alexander straight in the chest. Alexander slowly looked at the fruit dripping off his chest, scooping some of it onto his index finger, and licked it. "...tomato? How did they-" he asked, falling to his knees.

"Alex, what the hell, man?" asked Commander Border, running to him.

"It's...it's...tomato…"

"Dammit Alex, I told you to stop eating tomatoes. You're allergic, you dumb shit." More muffled laughter filled the air, so much so that Halvdan could detect where it was coming from. He slowly walked over to a stack of crates near the dock.

"'It's...it's...tomato!'" Giggled a little boy behind the boxes.

"Is that why you grabbed tomato, Sid?"

"It's Sam."

"Hey Sid, can I shoot a tomato? Right in the Captain's eye?"

"It's Sam, idiot."

"Hey, I'm not the idiot-" Halvdan looked behind the boxes, catching three surprised faces and one bored expression looking back at him.

"You're the ones who hit the Captain," Halvdan scoffed, observing all four of them.

"Wow, you're a real sluth for figuring that one out," the bored one said dryly. "What was it that gave us away? The slingshot or these idiots boasting about my aim?"

"We're not idiots-"

"You prove my point every time you speak. Shut up and listen to pretty boy here. He obviously feels important with his fancy shirt and splattered tomato, so we must obey his every command."

"That's not why you need to listen to me!" The bored one let its eyes roll as Halvdan continued. " I'm becoming an Arendelle Guard! That's one of the highest honors-"

"Boy, before you can become a soldier, you must understand the beauty of sarcasm and irony."

"I'm not a boy!"

"You're a male, correct? Males are usually given the title of 'boy'."

"I'm becoming a guard!"

"Oh, how very brave for a boy who probably doesn't know how to tie his own shoes. Yes, I wish to depend on your services to keep us, citizens of Arendelle, as well as the royal family, safe." Halvdan shook his head, livid, while the bored one sat with a straight face throughout the conversation.

"Well...well, I'm putting you under arrest for attacking a member of the guard!" The other three boys stared at Halvdan as he puffed his chest out, taking the role of the soldier he was to become. The bored one continued to watch Halvdan, unfazed.

"You need to be in the guard to arrest someone. Stupid." The bored one stood up as the boys watched in disbelief.

"I, I'm not letting you get away with this," Halvdan said, trying to be brave. The bored one looked over the crates at him, as though to mock him.

"Oh? And who's going to stop me?"

"I am!"

"You? You and what army?"

"Sid, stop! He's going to get you!"

"Idiot, you're being arrested too. Why aren't you running, fugitive of Arendelle?" The three boys looked at each other and, after a moment's hesitation, rammed Halvdan and ran for it. Halvdan fell on the dock as the boys trampled over him in an attempt to get home. "Well, great heroine? Go get them."

"They didn't throw the tomatoes. They were asking you for a turn...Sam."

"Oh, how proud your father must be of his little detective. However, you haven't discovered where I acquired the tomatoes from-"

"I don't care!" Sam stepped out of Halvdan's way as he lunged. Halvdan crawled back onto his feet as Sam watched the guards run in their direction.

"Well, it was lovely talking to you, oh brave warrior, but I must be going."

"No you're-" but Sam was gone, sprinting down the dock towards the royal fleet...right at the guards. The guards, surprised, stopped as Sam ran closer. As they reached out of grab Sam, Sam ran right in between then, knocking a good quarter of them down and tripping up the rest. Halvdan sprinted after Sam, using his long legs to keep Sam in sight. But he couldn't catch up, Sam was just as fast if not faster than he was! He watched as Sam flew past the royal castle and onto the stone wall surrounding it. The guards ran to grab the criminal, but Sam was experienced in this kind of work; Sam would run most of the time, but moments of walking to trip the guards was also used. When the guards were close to grabbing Sam, the criminal ducked down into a crouch or went into a plank position and lowered till the stone wall touched Sam's chest. Once the guard close to grabbing Sam failed, the criminal pushed off its palms into a sprint, using the momentum to get Sam back onto the balls of the criminal's feet. This ensued for a good five minutes until Sam crouched down, observed the crowd of green, faked left, sprinted a few feet to the right, leaped off the wall, and, after hitting the ground and rolling, went to sprint towards the sea. Sam reached the dock and, with no hesitation, went from sprinting into a perfect dive into the water, evading the guards.

"Catch that urchin" ordered Commander Border. All the guards, as custom, saluted him. "Stop saluting and catch that child!" By the time the guards were focused on their target once more, Halvdan was in the water, swimming after Sam. The coldness of the fuord seeped into his skin, but he fought it like any soldier should and kept swimming. Honestly, he was scared; he wasn't a very strong swimmer and Sam felt yards away. But he was a soldier! He had to do this. For Captain Alexander. For Arendelle. For Justice.

Sam heard flopping, splashing noises coming from behind the criminal. Sam allowed the eyes to roll once more, slowing down the pace, knowing pretty boy couldn't swim from the sounds of his struggle.

Halvdan smiled, seeing that he was gaining on Sam. He was so tired, but he had to bring this urchin in. His body ached with every stroke, but he pushed on, telling himself that he was almost to his goal. Then, finally-

"You're...under...arrest."

"And how do you plan on taking me in?" Halvdan treaded water, gasping. He hadn't thought that through, really. He was so exhausted, he honestly didn't think he could make it back to shore. "Go home, boy, and be like one of your dream guards," Sam spat, swimming away.

"Wait," Halvdan screamed, following suit. Halvdan watched Sam drift away from his sight as the freezing water filled his mouth and nose. "Wait...wait, stop! In...in the…" Halvdan was barely audible at this point due to the water engulfing any sound he made. Darkness filled him and, suddenly, he sank. Drifting down into the abyss, water holding him within its grasp. He fought as hard as any young soldier would, but the more he struggled, the deeper he sank. _This is the end,_ he thought while his limbs slowed. He couldn't breathe and he honestly didn't care anymore. He accepted the darkness, the water, the sinking. He closed his eyes and sighed. The last bubbles of air drifted miles and miles above his head the the lighted surface. There was no more light down where he was. Only sweet, delicious darkness.

Someone stopped his fate from for filling. He had no strength to fight the antagonist. He felt the villain tearing him from the sweet warmth of death and forcing him to the brutal chill of the surface. Suddenly he was thrown onto something hard, rough, solid and he felt multiple strong, forced, pressured pushes against his chest. Slick hands opened his mouth, allowing wet lips and warm air to fill his throat and lungs. _What is happening to me? What do they want? Who is they? Is something wrong? _He then remembered the darkness, the water, his fight to survive. How he stopped breathing. Another gush of warm air fills him, giving him the push he needed to roll to his side and release all of the foreign water his lungs were containing.

"What the hell were you thinking? You can't swim!" He coughed harder than he ever had before, trying to eject the fjord from his body.

"How...how did you know...that I...couldn't-"

"Your dad is in hysterics. He has been calling for you since you got into the water. He helped me pull you out." He opened his eyes. Sam filled his view.

"Why you save me?"

"Morals. Unfortunately. I should have let natural selection take its toll." Sam smiled out of the corner of her lips. And then Sam was gone. He prompted himself on his shoulder but his father put his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Halvdan! Are you alright? What were you think-"

"Sam..." He pushed his father out of the way and watched the child, not far from his age, being dragged away. But Sam didn't fight. Sam smiled at him. Just smiled. _Doesn't he know he's gonna be killed? _Halvdan asked himself as he rose to his feet. _He's just a kid! And he saved my life! I can't let them do this._

"Halv, what are you doing? Son...HALVDAN!" But he was already gone. He couldn't sprint, but he could surely gallop oddly. He didn't care. He had to stop this. He just had to.

Sam was brought to the staircase at the front of the castle where Captain Alexander stood, glaring in fury. It was quite a funny site seeing a puffy man squint his eyes more than his face was already doing for him, but nevertheless he stood his ground, placing one over-sized hand on his hilt, his sausage fingers gripped around the handle. Sam couldn't help but smile wolfishly at him.

"Darling, you look fabulous-"

"Enough from you, urchin."

"Urchin? Widening your lexicon, are we? I'm very proud of you."

"Shut it. You're not getting away from me this time-"

" Oh, I think I will just to help you grow. The next time you catch me, you'll have to find a new name to call me." Alexander pulled his trusty blade Maxwell out of its seith.

"It's time I silenced that tongue of yours, heathen."

"See? Now you have another word. I think our mutual agreement is going along well." The blade shimmered in the sunlight as the Captain raised Maxwell above his head, walking down the steps. "And, technically, cutting out my tongue wouldn't silence it. You would be removing it. Also, tongues don't make that much noise. It just helps your vocals-"

"I sentence hoy to death for your crimes against Arendelle."

"I didn't hurt Arendelle. I only hurt you and you don't like to be embarrassed."

"Are those your last words?" Sam grinned once more, smiling at the steps the child was thrusted upon.

"Even in death, I will have many more words to say." The sound of dragging feet on cobblestone echoed behind Sam. "What the hell do you want, boy?"

Huffing, Halvdan answered, "You...cannot...punish...Sam..."

"Boy, stay out of this!" The Captain growled, preparing to swing Maxwell.

"I'm not a boy!" Halvdan hobbled hurriedly up the steps, protecting Sam.

"You are the worst excuse for a protector I've ever seen."

"Shut up Sam. Don't make me change my mind."

"Oh, I'm hoping you do. Please leave." Halvdan glared at the blond youth, who only shrugged. "I'm not a liar and I'm exceptionally blunt. Those are my best attributes, actually."

"Move, son. This isn't the time or place-"

"This is the perfect time and place. This kid saved my life and all he did to you was throw a tomato at you. Where is it stated in Arendelle law that throwing tomatoes was punnishble-"

"Punishable."

"Thank you-by death?"

"The boy is right, Alexander." The Captain lowered Maxwell, turned, and kneeled to the man behind him. Tall, bright-eyes, lean, dressed in royal regalia, the King of Arendelle strode down from his castle to observe the scene. He took long, hard looks at every face, unchanging, unfazed until he saw Sam. His blue eyes narrowed and he stalled his pace. "Although I don't think I would mind letting you remove this disaster from my life."

Sam looked up at the King, sparkles twinkling in those emerald eyes. "Nice seeing you too, darling."

"You, you know the King of Arendelle?"

"Yes Halvdan. We know each other quite well." Halvdan stared at Sam in complete horror. What have I done? I'm protecting someone the King hates! "So, are you gonna-"

"No. No, I will not let you back. Nor will I-" Sam widened her grin, going from charming to manipulative. "-unfortunately-let them kill you."

"You know I won't stop, John." The King straightened. "It's your fault, really. You put us in this situation and now I can't leave. I can't. And you know it." The glare the King gave her deepened. "So what are you going to do about it hot shot?"

"You can't talk to the King like that!"

"The boy is right, Sam." The King started smiling. Sam watched The King carefully. "Boy, what is your name?"

"My name is-"

"Oh, Your Majesty, he's not a boy. He's been saying so all evening." Halvdan, mortified, turned from Sam to the King.

"Sire, no, I mean, Your Majesty-"

"It's alright. Your name?"

"Halvdan, sir, and I want to be a Guard."

"Good. I want you to watch Sam." Both children stared at the King in shock.  
"What?"

"John, be reasonable-"

"You said yourself Sam. I made this mistake and I have to fix it. I'm going to put this man in charge of you-"

"The only person in charge of me, rich boy, is myself. Me. I. Moi. Screw you and anyone else you put 'in charge' of me."

"If you want to be around here and not live in the trees begging people for handouts I suggest you take the offer. The Guard pays well enough and it gives you something to do in the mean time. As for you young man, watching after Sam is no easy task. I can only ask that you do you best. Think of it as a private mission given to you by the King himself."

"Trust me Halvdan, that's no great honor." The King, with a cocky smile, walked past Halvdan to raise Alexander to his feet.

"Let the child go and make these two both Guards. And...don't let that one, " the King pointed to the blond being released, "out of your sight. Understand? And give that one no special treatment. Hell, if it's possible, make it harder for Sam. Give that one something to do." Sticking out a pink tongue, Sam glared at the regal. With a wink, the King left, and Halvdan's troubles with Sam began.


	3. Present: Chapter IV

Present

Chapter IV

Sam meandered through the crowd of politicians who, thankfully, were wearing similar attire as the banished. The past-Arendellian slithered left and right, watching the Guards standing by.

"Faster Percy!" Sam stepped aside as a large woman dragged a man behind her.

"This event becomes more and more interesting by the second," Sam murmured to no one in particular. The past-Guard spun around, reminiscing and observing the world lost long ago. Men and women pushed through the crowd, their children at their heels, while the politicians hung at the back, whispering tar-laced promises into each other's ears. Suddenly, a red-haired woman in a green gown ran the opposite direction of the stampede.

"For the first time in forever, I'm getting what I'm dreaming of. For the first time in forever-"

"Oh God. I had just forgotten about you." Sam drove deeper in the crowd, attempting to hide a grimace.

"I know it ends tomorrow so it has to be today! 'Cause for the first time..." Anna sang as she ran past, not giving a care in the world.

"Well it's nice to know one thing has stayed 're just as stupid as a left you." Glancing upwards, the assassin made eye contact with a man with hazelnut eyes and mahogany hair. The grimace grew. "Well, maybe two things." Halvdan, Captain of the Arendelle Guard, was watching Anna and the people she passed closely. _Smart ass,_ Sam thought, a smile slipping between pale lips. _He knows me too well_.

Halvdan turned to another Guard on the castle wall. "Watch the faces of the nobles Anna passes."

"Why, sir?"

"Because Sam isn't dressing like a peasant. Would rather be skinned alive than wear scratchy clothes again. Sam also hates Anna. Thinks she's as thick as an oak door. Look for any sight of displeasure on their faces." Halvdan paced impatiently on the wall as the people surged forward. Halvdan suddenly stopped, talking back to the Guard while meticulously searching every face. "Especially the nobles in blue and purple. Sam's favorite color is purple, but always manipulates people by wearing blue. It's the most common color because it's the most liked. Sam wore it all the time to blend in. But purple was always the favorite." Halvdan began pacing once more,frantic. "With all of these people, Sam is bound to get through-"

"Doesn't the individual in question want to see Elsa? Sir, it seems odd that we are hunting down a criminal who's only crime is wanting to be at the coronation." Before Halvdan could answer, a pebble hit another Guard on the opposite side of the wall. No damage was done but Halvdan knew exactly what it meant. He dragged the other Guard with him, throwing themselves into the wave of human flesh. "Sir, sir! What are you-"

"The pebble. Sam's here."

"Perhaps it was just a child playing-"

"No. That pebble hit Marcus. The only other Guard here that knew Sam. It was a warning."

"I think you're getting-"

"Silence! Just, just look. Sam is here!" The Guards searched the ground, pushing people left and right. Marcus and his crew joined Halvdan.

"Half, what are you doing?"

"Don't call me that," the Captain growled at his old comrade.

"Well, _Halvdan,_ you've lost your prize. The pebble hit me."

"I know-"

"No you don't. The pebble hit _me._ Marcus. You know? M?"

"I don't get-"

"M for Marcus. M for mistake. The pebble means you made a mistake. Sam's already inside."


	4. Past: Chapter II

Past

Chapter II

"Get off!" Sam struggled, forced to lay belly-down by the behemoth sitting on top.

"C'mon runt! Fight like a man!"

"Runt-_grph-_runt refers to a pig. I feel you're more of the runt than I am-"

"Shut up and surrender!"

"Wh-that doesn't even make-_argf umph-_any sense. You have to talk to surrender."

"Say uncle already."

"Contradicting yourself again I see."

"Surrender!"

"No!"

"Runt!"

"Fatty!" The mammoth yanked the blond from underneath him and lifted the youth five inches in the air. The brutality of the Guard is not shared with Arendellians; for ten years the recruits live in the deep forest of Arendelle until they are properly trained. You either leave as the "hall guard", the softies of the school, the ones stuck in the castle just for show or you become a "soldier", a man who walks amongst villains, protects the citizens and royalty, and are proud of being alive. Soldiers are the biggest, strongest, bravest of them all. To prove their worth, the ones striving to be soldiers find the small and weak so, hopefully, they have guaranteed hall guards, people who they can be compared to. Sam, being smaller than every other recruit, was the main target of all. But they made a huge mistake: Sam wasn't weak.

"What did you call me, runt?"

"You heard me. Or do you have hearing problems too?" Gorilla hands flung the rag doll onto the unforgiving dirt floor. The doll flung itself to its feet.

"You don't give up do you runt?"

"Stop calling me names and fight you big chicken-"

"Sam!"

"What is that? Another runt coming for a lesson?"

"Stay out of this Halvdan." But the boy couldn't listen if his life depended on it. Halvdan ran between the huge eleven-year-old and the minuscule seven-year-old.

"Don't you two think this is a bit ridiculous? We'll get in trouble if the professors find us."

"Then I suggest you leave so you don't have to get your hands dirty, pretty boy."

"I'm not a boy Sam! And neither are you or Mitch here. We're Arendellian Guards-"

"Boys pretending to be Guards. You're a fool to believe they're actually training...why am I having this argument with you Halvdan? I'm in the middle of kicking this boar's behind and you're in the way."

"Yeah, runt, leave!"

"Sam, stop it! Do you hear that? It's the lunch bell. If we're not there in time, we won't get any food _and _we'll have to clean the floor."

"Are those your biggest priorities, Halvdan? Being hungry and dirty? Suck it up and get out of the way."

"The King told me to protect you!"

"Aww, the runt has a body guard. How sweet."

"Halvdan, leave. Before I hurt you more than I usually do."

"No Sam." Mitch's eyes rolled as he waited for the arguing to stop. Sam joined him as Halvdan continued. "I'm not happy that you're here any more than you are but we have to follow the King's orders! We're going to be Guards for heaven's sake. And to be Guards, we-"

"I'll give you my serving if you can put him on the flag pole."

"Agreed."

"What?! Sam, you're kidding-hey! Let me go!"

"Hurry up you buffoon! He's struggling." Mitch undid the flag pole's tether as Sam, being twice Halvdan's size, easily dragged the other boy and grabbed his underwear. A hole was torn in the cloth.

"Sam, Mitch, please!"

"You got the knot? Here, drag the rope through here."

"Hold him still. I can't-"

"Oh for God's sake. Take the boy and I'll get the rope." Soon Halvdan was tied up and was suspended with the Arendelle flag in the sky.

"Sam! Saaaam! This isn't funny. Get me down!"

"I thought Guards like yourself could do anything." Mitch turned on his heel as Sam followed suit. "Oh, and Halvdan, when you do get down, tell me how the view was. And how it felt to be wearing half of your underwear during this lovely day-"

"Hey, that's it! Halv! He's Halv a man!"

"You know, for a moron, that was pretty good. See ya later, Halv!" Halvdan listened to their fading voices pointing out other nicknames for him like "Halv-pint" and "Halv-bite" as they walked to the dining hall.

"WHO DID THIS!" The boys all shot out of their seats at the sound of the booming voice. Saluting with fists on their hearts, backs straight and shoulders back, they watched as the six foot five inches tall General marched in with Halvdan in one of his colossal hands. Veins bulging, bald spot shimmering, sweat splattering all over the dining hall from his bushy mustache, the General called again, "WHO DID THIS? HUH? WHO?" The boys stood silently, looking at Halvdan. They all saw him hanging on the poll, hour after hour, but since the flagpole was right by the General's office, they were all scared to pull him down. "I WANT THE BOY WHO THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY TO HANG THIS CADET ON THE FLAGPOLE FOR FIVE HOURS. I WANT HIM FRONT AND CENTER NOW!" No one moved forward. No one knew who actually did the crime; everyone was at lunch when it happened, including the General. "I WANT TO SEE HIM FRONT AND CENTER IMMEDIATELY! THIS BEHAVIOR IS UNCALLED FOR AND WILL BE DEALT WITH NOW! STEP FORWARD. COME ON. FESS UP. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, I WILL FIND YOU AND MAKE THIS PUNISHMENT MUCH, MUCH WORSE. I WANT TO SEE HIM CLEARLY THIS INSTANT! COME OUT!"

"You couldn't see him clearly, sir. You only have one functioning eye." An split in the crowd was made as Sam spoke, saluting without cracking a smile or cringe. The General sat Halvdan down on the ground and approached the cadet.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said you have one functioning eye. You told us the first day here you had a glass eye. Right eye, if I remember correctly. You couldn't see the culprit fully if you wanted to. You're half-blind."

"You think you're clever, aren't' you?"

"Yeah, I do sir. Because I did that under your nose."

"Did what?"

"Put Halvdan on the flagpole." Murmuring went through the crowd.

"SILENCE!" The crowd went still. "You did this?"

"Yup. And it was ingenious, if I do say so myself. Being able to hang a boy older than me on the flagpole-in front of your office, may I add-without getting caught until I admitted it. Quite impressive for a first year, don't you think sir? Cruel, yes, wrong, argumentative, but clever? Yes sir." The General's real eye twitched.

"I hope you don't like eating-"

"On the contrary, sir-"

"Because you're not getting dinner for the next week-"

"I expected as much-"

"And you're going to clean this dining hall SPOTLESS for the next year-"

"Sir, I feel that this will be a conflict with my other punishments-"

"And if I catch you doing this again, I'm kicking you out-"

"I'll make sure to do it for you weekly." The General stood silently, glaring. "Perhaps bi-weekly. It takes a lot of upper body strength to get a boy up there if you know what I mean sir."

"You'd just love that, wouldn't you? Getting thrown back out into the streets like the urchin you are."

"Please do." Sam looked around the General to make eye contact with the victim. "So Halv, how was the view?"

"EVERYONE TO YOUR BUNKS!" The crowd dashed to their barracks, leaving the General and Sam alone. Halv was part of the mob rushing to his bunk, barack 19. Once inside the musky old room, he jumped into bed F and, covering his face with his pillow, began to cry.

"Halvdan? You okay?" Red eyed, he turned to look at Roger, a sweet, innocent boy who had become friends with Halvdan over the three months they had been in the school.

"Leave the guy be. He can take care of himself. He can cry like a hall guard or tough it out like a soldier."

"That's not nice Marcus! You try hanging on a flagpole for five hours!"

"I don't need to. I'm tough enough to fight my own battles." Marcus, the biggest boy their age, climbed on top of Halvdan into bed E and sighed. "I won't let the smallest kid in my class take advantage of me."

"It wasn't just Sam," Halvdan murmured.

"Well? Who else?"

"Shut up Roger. He's not going to tell you, and if he is, he's stupid."

"Why would you think he's-"

"Because he's not going to rat out the other kid. That's why Sam turned himself in. Don't you see? The other kid gets away scratch-free and Sam pays the price, but Sam can't get bullied if he's always doing chores. Someone will always be watching him. Professors and students alike. Also, the other kid now owes Sam a favor. If Halvdan confesses, the other kid will bully him since he can't bully Sam anymore. Now shut up and sleep."


	5. Past: Chapter III

Past

Chapter III

That year passed, Sam keeping the promises made to the General five months prior: the dining hall was spotless, twenty four seven, and bullies were hung on the flagpole bi-weekly. The General threw threats at the youth, making the cleaning last from one year to five, giving up Saturdays for paperwork, and having no dinner, but these things never seemed to faze the child. There was no complaining on Sam's part. On the contrary, Sam seemed to agree with the General's choices. The cadet learned to balance all schoolwork, punishments, and sleep within the time limits of the day everyday from one year to the next. The General started watching Sam to catch the patterns in the kid's behavior; since Halvdan, Sam only stuck major bullies on the school on the flagpole. The General also noticed how the child held himself: confident, composed, complicated. The boy excelled in all of his courses, from combat to English, the only class seeming to give Sam any problems being mathematiques and even then the grade was only a low A. The General decided to take a different approach with the boy during their bi-weekly conference they had after each of Sam's flagpole attacks, the victim being the major bully of the tenth years.

"How do you get them up that high?"

"Sorry, sir?"

"The boy was a tenth year and you, a tiny second year, got him twelve feet in the air."

"Levy system."

"Hum?"

"I use a levy system. I pull on one end while the other end rises. The real problem with getting a boy that large is to drag them to the pole itself. Sir." The General considered this, stacking papers on his enormous desk. Sam peered over the desk, watching him. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Sir, isn't this about the time you yell at me?" The General chuckled, watching the dirty blond. He noticed the child hadn't matured as the other second years had: the other boys got bulkier, stronger, started growing out of certain childish features. Sam only got taller and skinnier.

"Isn't this about the time you start filling those stick legs of yours? How are you so damn skinny? All the other boys-"

"Well I'm not like most boys, am I sir?" The General nodded, smiled even. "Pardon my intrusion, sir-"

"You never seemed rude for doing it before-"

"But why are you not yelling, screaming, telling me I'm a disgrace?"

"Because you're not a disgrace. You're smarter than the rest of them." Sam leaned back, watching the pasty man carefully. "You're streetsmart where these boys, if they have any intelligence at all, is being able to read a textbook. You're constantly observing them, picking out the bullies and giving them what they had coming. You know who you would want in your group if you ever went to battle, mixing enemies and allies, brains and bronze together to win. You're clever and conniving and stubborn."

"Those are the nicest things anyone has ever said to me, " Sam sarcastically pronounced, putting a hand over his tiny heart.

"I'm sure." The General watched Sam carefully as the boy went back to his nonchalant, smart-assy ways. "I have a proposition for you, Sam." The boy's eyebrows raised. "I need someone to watch a very important person for me and, if you can help me find this person, I'll cut your punishments down by half-"

"Oh don't do that sir. I need something to do with my time."

"Read." Sam smiled slyly.

"You must need me desperately to give me such a great deal."

"You know these boys better than you do."

"Well I need to know who this special someone is to have guarded. Otherwise, I can only recommend you. A man your size should scare any traitor away."

"I never knew you to be a brown noser."

"No. I'm just honest in a romantic way." The middle-aged man gave a hearty laugh. It's the first time he ever laughed at a joke from a cadet.

"Well, knowing you, I'm assuming you already know who I need protected-"

"If you're referring to the Duke from Chardelle for the currency meeting, I recommend Raole. Clever, not too overbearing, great with a blade. Now, if we're discussing the King while he's abroad in the Southern Isles, Mitch. Beast of a man, silent type, could kill with a glance. The boy's arms alone make murderers run in fear. Now for Princess Elsa and her mother during the summer festival, Rodger-"

"Rodger? That skinny little man?"

"He's brilliant. One of the smartest men I've ever met. Complete sweetheart. The Queen and her daughter already have Percy and Lucas watching them, so they already have the muscle. They need a diplomat, a genius, a giant teddy bear combined with manipulative merchant. That's Rodger." The General leaned back in his leather chair, allowing Sam to continue. "But I'm assuming we're not discussing any of those people. No, no you're hinting to your niece coming from the coast of Baskwell. Now she needs a soldier who understands her. We both know she hates the Guard and will stop at nothing to make the poor man jump off the boat to save himself. She will harass him with stupid girl talk, gossiping over cute boys she met at school while painting her toenails. So you can't have a man of pure muscle nor a man with no muscle. He must be intelligent, but not intolerable. He must woo her in a special way so he can fulfill his duties as a guard as well as please your sister's daughter."

"And whom might that be?"

"Halvdan."

"I can't believe it! My first mission! And privately chosen by the General himself!"

"Congradulations."

"Sam, don't talk like that. This is a big opportunity for me!"

"You're a second year."

"But this is huge! Of all the soldiers here, the General picked me!" Sam sighed as she watched her pain in the ass dress formally for his first meeting with the General's niece Melissa. Black pants with a white shirt, Halvdan struggled to put his Guard-black boots over his long socks. "Me! Second-year Halvdan! I knew I had something to offer, as much as you like to prove to me otherwise-"

"Halv, you can't even put your shoes on. You're a disgrace."

"That's not true. I'm going to be a hero!"

"By helping the seven-year-old travel from Baskwell to Arendelle? That's only a two-day trip. And you're being accompanied by Ryan."

"Because Ryan's driving. Oh, stupid boot-"

"Stop. You have the bottom of your sock rolled down-" Sam knelt down and, after rolling the sock up the boy's leg, slid the boot over it. "And that's how you put on boots."

"I can do it myself-"

"I'm sure you can." Suddenly, there was a slight rustle from behind the barack. "Quiet. Did you hear that?"

"Um, no-"

"Shh!" Someone tripped over the step and Halvdan and Sam listened as the eaves dropped fell. Halvdan tried jumping to his feet to join Sam as the door was flung open to see the culprit. "Halt! Who...oh!"

"Sam, who is it?" Halvdan peered off of Sam's high shoulder and saw a little girl outside.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I mean, well, what I'm trying to say-"

"Your Highness, it's not safe for you to be out in the dark." The little girl rolled her little blue foot into the dirt. "Well don't do that! You want your parents to know that you're outside at this late hour?"

"I don't care! I wanted to know who was coming over. I heard that she was my age so I wanted to learn who she was. Is that a crime?"

"Your Highness-"

"It's Elsa!" Sam sighed and Halvdan tripped on his boot, falling in front of Elsa. The girl giggled. "Are you okay? Here, let me help you up."

"I don't need any help," Halvdan stammered, blushing deeply. "I'm a Guard. I can take care of myself."

"I see. Well you're a very clumsy guard." Sam snorted. Halvdan glared.

"Your High...Elsa, let me escort you to your room."

"But I don't want to go to bed!"

"You want to stay up all night waiting for Melissa? That's a very long ways away. Don't you think it would be better to sleep a little so that, when Melissa gets here, you aren't sleepy?" Elsa stared at Sam, then sighed.

"I guess so."

"Alright then, it's settled. I'll escort you to your room while Halvdan figures out how to put on his boots."

"I know how to put on boots!" Elsa giggled as Sam led her a few feet from the barack.

"So how old are you Elsa?"

"I'm four years old."

"Four? Wow, you're practically a lady." Elsa smiled. The wind blew softly, making the tree branches wave and sing, causing Elsa to quickly grasp Sam's hand. "Wow, for a four-year-old, you have a strong grip." Elsa grouped closer to Sam shivering in fear. "It's alright Elsa. It's just the trees and the wind."

"Why do they have to make such scary noises?"

"That's all a matter of perspective. What you think is scary is beautiful to someone else. I love the sound of trees and wind. I don't like the sound of hail."

"Hail?"

"Raining ice. It's hard and rough. But it's all a matter of opinion, really." Elsa nodded, darting her eyes left and right to see if anyone was coming. "No one is going to hurt you Elsa."

"How can you be so sure? Mom and Dad say there are bad men in the woods."

"Because your parents were probably talking about me." Elsa looked at Sam as the cadet laughed.

"Were they really?"

"I don't know. I was making a joke. How did you get all the way out here anyway? The Guard is miles and miles away from the castle."

"Dad is talking to someone and I snuck on the carriage."

"You're too smart for your own good." A loud thud came from behind Elsa, knocking Sam to the ground.

"Sam? Sam?!" A man lifted the Princess off the ground, silencing the girl's cries.

"Let her go," Sam yelled, rising and stabbing the assailant in the leg with the Guard's hidden knife. The man screamed, dropping Elsa onto the ground. Sam grabbed the Princess' hand and dragged her behind Sam, who was holding the dripping knife. "Stay behind me so I can see the attackers."

"Okay." Elsa pressed herself against Sam's back as the cadet got into a fighting position. _I've never stabbed someone before_, Sam thought as the man, limping, raised to his feet.

"I'm scared," whispered Elsa, burying her head into Sam's shoulder.

"Don't be. I'm here." Sam backed the two of them to the fire burning in the middle of the Guard training arena, hoping the light will reveal the man's identity. It did, and as soon as the man's face was seen, Sam lowered the knife. "Sir?"

"What the hell are you doing," the General growled. "She's not supposed to be here!"

"Obviously, sir."

"And neither are you! Curfew was hours ago!"

"I was helping Halvdan prepare for his trip. Her Highness snuck out of the carriage. May I ask why you're here instead of in the meeting with the King?"

"How did you know-"

"Elsa said her father was in a meeting with a man. Who else would John be talking to?"

"Don't you insult the King-"

"I didn't. I used his name. Why are you here?" Sam remembered the knife and dropped it. "Sir, why didn't you make your presence known? I didn't mean to-"

"You," the King growled deeply, glaring at Sam. "You attacked an officer."

"Well if that officer is stupid enough not to make his presence known-"

"How dare you-"

"What, you expected me to act differently? I was escorting Her Highness to the carriage-"

"You said you were taking me home!"

"Until you said your father was here. I'm not foolish enough to drag the Princess of Arendelle through the heavily wooded forest if the King is here!"

"Let my daughter go."

"Sure thing." Letting go of the Princess, the girl ran into her father's arms. "Sir, why didn't you tell me it was you? I thought you were trying to kill the Princess!"

"Why would I kill the Princess?"

"You wouldn't. That's why it would have been nice to know it was you before I stabbed your calf."

"I don't want you near my daughter. Ever."

"You made that clear four years ago."

"How dare you-"

"How dare I? How about you check your carriage the next time you go anywhere, O Great Father! And you," Sam snapped, turning sharply to the General, "next time you sneak up on a Guard, prepare for the consequences! Now sit on that log and stick that leg out so I can wrap it." The General opened his mouth to argue before Sam said, "That's an order, Bryon!" Shocked, Bryon sat down and did as the cadet ordered. Sam kneeled down in front of the General and used the bandages hidden in the cadet's back pocket to wrap the wound.

"You take orders from second years, Bryon?"

"He does when that second year is medically trained," Sam grumbled, finishing the bandaging. "Visit a Healer in the morning. And don't cry to me about the tea you'll have to drink and all the time you'll have to spend in bed to let that leg heal. You can catch up on paperwork. Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm going to bed." Sam stood and helped the General back onto his feet. The guard then turned to the royals and bowed. "Goodnight."


	6. Past: Chapter IV

Past

Chapter IV

Melissa was indeed a torment. She tried everything to make Halvdan quit: gossip, ask for girl advice, got him to brush her hair, paint her nails, listen to her atrocious voice sing the Arendelle national anthem. But nothing stopped him. He just stood there as tough as an eight-year-old could look, constantly being around her. She tried annoying him, flattering him, boring him, yet he was just as relentless as she was. "How can you tolerate me," she asked irritably.

"It's not my job to tolerate you. It's my job to watch after you."

"Wise words," she grumbled, combing her long, chocolate hair for the umptenth time. There was one last trick she had up her sleeve and she cringed at the thought of it: flirting. She could make him fall for her, break his heart, and then he'd leave her alone. Hopefully. She flipped her hair as she turned to face him. "You must be very brave watching after me."

"Not really. Guards do this all the time."

"But to be a Guard is very courageous, don't you think?"

"Don't think flirting with me will get you anywhere."

"What? I'm not flirting with you. I'm just saying-"

"I'm just saying we're eight years old. Flirting doesn't even come into play at our age. Try again." She sighed daintily, turning back to her mirror. _This is going to be harder than I thought._

"Why would you think I'm flirting with you? Does that mean you want me to," she questioned him, trying to find his weakness as she applied more power to her cheeks.

"Because you want me to leave you like the other guards have. And if you keep putting powder on, your face is going to crumble off from dehydration-"

"Oh how sweet! You care about my face."

"I care about you making it to your uncle in one piece."

"There it was! I heard it, you admitted it. You care about me."

"If that's the way you want to see it-"

"Oh Halden-"

"Halvdan."

"Whatever, you _do_ care. Don't act like you don't."

"Yeah, I do. I do care." She smiled, allowing the light from the candles to make her teeth shimmer. "I care about how quickly we can get you to your uncle so I don't have to deal with you anymore." She pouted, sticking her lip out.

"You don't mean that, Hal, do you?"

"I do."

"You're just kidding, Hal. Stop it,"she teased.

"I've never been more serious. And it's Halvdan, not Hal."

"So Halv, how was your trip?"

"I never wanted to kill someone more in my life." Sam smiled while finishing laundry.

"That well huh?" Halvdan fell onto his bed, listening to uniforms being folded.

"She just kept talking and talking and wouldn't shut up. All she did was nag, nag, nag, and complain. She kept pointing out how noble my job was and it was just awful."

"That doesn't remind me of anyone I know of. Not in the slightest."

"What do you mean Sam?"

"What do you think I mean, Halv?"

"I think you're being sarcastic to prove a point."

"Oh? You mean how I can make parallels from how you follow me to how you described Melissa's behaviour?" Halvdan looked up at Sam, who didn't bother looking back at him. "No, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Did you enjoy your trip, Ms. Claey?"

"Don't act like you're pleased to see me Hal."

"I'm only doing it because I have to."

"How poetic." Melissa boarded the boat once more, this time going back to the coast instead of leaving it. Halvdan sighed inside; enduring another week with this woman might just kill him. "Come on, Celent. We have things to do." Halvdan didn't know who Celent was, but he figured from Sam's teachings on sarcasm and intention that Melissa was referring to him. The giant white boat set off as Halvdan followed Melissa to her quarters.

"Who's Celent?"

"What?"

"You said, 'come on Celent." Who is Celent?"

"Celent is a Baskwell poet, one of the most famous in the world. It was a reference to me saying you were poetic earlier." They reached Melissa's door when Melissa stopped, turning back to her guard. "Have you never read Celent?"

"No, I can't say I have." Melissa sighed deeply, leaning on the door.

"Well this explains why you're so tight. I'll be back." She entered her gold room and moments later came out with five poetry books. "This green one is all Celent. The blue is Celent's play _Orion_ and the other three have Celent poems as well as others like Munchene, Parcle, and Kemp."

"I can't read all of this in a week! I have to watch after you!"

"You sleep across from my room. You'll know if I'm doing anything. Plus, you don't want to hear me complain about you not reading real poetry, do you?"

"No," Halvdan accidentally slipped out. Melissa smiled.

"Then read or I'll make your life a living hell."

"I can't believe she got you into Celent."

"You know, for such an annoying woman, she does have a good choice in poetry."

"You're not a poet. You're a guard."

"Guards can appreciate poetry. Listen:

'Red nails, blue skies

and how the light dances in your eyes

enchants me, smothers me

your love flows like Zea

and yet, we wonder

what is across yonder

fields and plains

watching the flight of crains'"

"Dear God. You like "Flight of Crains"? That's awful."

"What? It's beautiful."

"I could write better."

"No you couldn't. How about this:

'And here we lie, young and beautiful

as we worship the awful

sunrise, sunset, time

hearing the clocks chime

down our existence'"

"I expect better choices from you."

"Come on."

"Don't tell me you liked _Orion_."

"I loved that play!"

"Dear God. Why? Why has she done this to you?"

"Melissa? She didn't do anything but introduce me to an artist."

"You had such potential-"

"Celent is amazing! He's a genius!"

"You like Kemp too, don't you? Don't deny it, you awful human being."

"What? You don't like Kemp ethier?"

"I like real geniuses."

"Like who? Give me one?"

"How about Walt Whitman? Edger Allen Poe? For God's sake, e.e. cummings is better than Celent!" Halvdan watched Sam explode in poetic fury. "Celent is a genius, you say? How about Maya Angelou for her inaugural address poem, hum? Or William Butler Yeats? Don't talk to me about classic poems until you read Yeats! Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Ralph Emerson, I would say Robert Frost but I hate him, so he no longer counts-"

"Then give me some of their poetry. Let me decide for myself if they're good or not? Their books are in the library right?"

"No," Sam yelled. Halvdan watched Sam carefully as his peer collected himself. "I mean, I mean I don't think they have any of those works. I, I'll get you a book. S-sorry."


	7. Present: Chapter V

Present

Chapter V

Halvdan, paralyzed where he stood, let oncoming traffic rush past him like the river Zea passes by a rock. "Sam's here," he murmured to himself, looking around.

"What do you want us to do, Halv?"

"I honestly don't know." Marcus put a hand on Halvdan's shoulder.

"We knew Sam would get in. You were the only one not willing to accept that. It's okay. Sam won't hurt her-"

"But we've failed!"

"Just because we've failed this mission does not mean we've lost the fight. Not yet. Let's go into the chapel and wait for Sam to appear, and there we go. Simple. Easy. A win."

"Marcus," Halvdan asked, smiling at his friend. "Why did they make me Captain and not you?"

"That's a damned good question. C'mon, let's protect the Queen."

Sam watched from the corner of the chapel as Marcus, followed by Halvdan and the rest of the Guard, enter. "Idiots, thinking I'm going to just waltz in like that-"

"Soon, the Queen will sign the documents, allowing us to be the biggest partner in trade with Arendelle for the next fifteen years," the Duke of Wessleton chattered excitedly to his cronies, who started filing in with the crowd. "Then we can exploit Arendelle's secrets and plunder their riches...did I say that out loud?" They walked in and took their seats around the fourth row while the dukes of Baskwell and Maas sat together just ahead of them.

"I knew I never liked you Weasel," Sam spat, leaning off the column to stand by the Duke of Wessleton to hear what else he had up his sleeve. "Won't Elsa be excited to hear this." Before Sam could enter, however, Anna pushed by, saying her "Excuse me"s and "Pardon me"s, fighting to get to the stage to join her sister. "And the imbecile strikes again. Being late to her own sister's coronation...I'm surrounded by morons."


	8. Past: Chapter V

Past

Chapter V

"I knew you'd slip but I didn't think this was the way you were going to go."

"Shut up Jake."

"Why? Because I'm right?" Sam glared at her best friend, who was sprawled across the blankets in the tent. Sam ran to him as soon as she had mentioned the other-realms' famous poets.

"You know I can't help but rave about Yeats, Dickinson, Whitman-"

"You wouldn't have known any of them if I hadn't taught you how to read." Jake laughed as Sam stuck out a tongue at him. He bowed. "You're welcome."

"I don't think I'm thanking you. It should be you who's thanking me for feeding you for the last five years of your life."

"Darling, you're lucky I found this wonderful spot for us Guardians to release our inner feelings about the realms and our lives without some random peasant poking their head in, thinking to themselves, 'How does a six year old raise a nine year old?"

"Shut up Jake." He chuckled as Sam looted his library for poetry books.

"So, this Halvdan, how old is he now?"

"Eight."

"Wow. And he's the average age for a second year?"

"Yeah."

"But you're six. And you better not take my copy of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_."

"I plan on it."

"Damn you! That's my favorite!" The guard chuckled as the Shakespearean play was thrown into the bag. "Did you just throw Shakespeare into your bag?"

"Yup."

"Throw? I don't think so. You can throw Dracula, Frankenstein, and Peter Pan, but don't you dare throw Shakespeare."

"I'll throw whatever I want."

"Then I'll just have to make fun of you for loving Jane Austen."

"Anyone with good taste likes Jane Austen."

"Speak for yourself," Jake scoffed, finding his spot in The Count of Monte Cristo.

"New read I see?"

"I've been feeling french recently. Just finished Les Miserable."

"And?"

"Better than expected." Jake watched Sam bending to look for other books over the top of Monte Cristo. He sighed, putting the book back into his lap and pulling off his glasses. "When are you going to tell them?"

"Tell them what?" Sam turned to Jake's accusing gaze.

"You know what I mean."

"Never probably."

"Hun, I don't think you understand. They will find out. You can't hide it-"

"That I'm a Guardian? Other than my little slip up, I think I've been doing fine." Jake sighed irritably.

"You're impossible." Sam collected the bag and ruffled Jake's messy red hair.

"I had a good teacher."


	9. Past: Chapter VI

p id="docs-internal-guid-725b2f78-8f52-2beb-b879-8005cfb8f6c0" dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"Past/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"Chapter VI/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""'My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"But I, with mournful tread,/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"Walk the deck my Captain lies,/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"br class="kix-line-break" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"Fallen cold and dead.' Sam you actually enjoyed this poem?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""Yes! It's one of the most well-known poems in the world! He's amazing!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""Suit yourself." Halvdan put Walt Whitman on the ground, watching his companion reading a book. "I didn't even know you liked reading until yesterday."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""That goes to show just how much you don't know about me." Sam flipped the page./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""What are you reading?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"Jane Eyre/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" by Charlotte Brontë." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""What's it about?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""A young woman moves from an orphanage to a home requiring a mistress. She raises a French girl and falls in love with the girl's father Mr. Rochester. They become engaged and it is on their wedding day that it is revealed that Mr. Rochester was already married to a woman whom he had locked up in the enormous house because she had lost her insanity. Jane runs away only to come back due to her undying love for Mr. Rochester. When she returns, his mad wife had started a fire that burned the house and leaves Mr. Rochester blind. Jane finds him and takes care of him as well as his daugher in this whole new life." Sam looks up at Halvdan, who is staring jaw-dropped at the blond. "What?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""You like that book too since that's super depressing?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""It's not depressing! It's about how true love prevails over all, even horrible incidents such as the fire and the mad wife."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""You're kidding."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""No Halv! Ug, you don't get it." The book is slammed closed so that the cadet could throw a book at Halvdan. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""What's this? Another one of your-"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""Shove it. It's /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"A Midsummer Night's Dream/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" by William Shakespeare. You'll love it."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""And if I don't?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;""I'll kill you. Trust me, it's right up your alley." He grumbled as he opened the book to page one. "Be grateful I didn't make you read /spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"The Round House/spanspan style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" by Louise Erdrich. Talk about depressing."/span/p 


	10. Past: Chapter VII

Past

Chapter VII

Years passed as classic after classic was read, discussed, ridiculed, and praised. Halvdan and Sam grew to be closer and closer friends as time went on, bringing new friends like Roger, Marcus, Tanner, and Theodore into the reading groups. Tanner was the bravest of them all; he was recruited to join the Guard after he saved a family of four from rolling off a cliff by grabbing the horses reins and tempting the animal with sugar cubes. Theodore, called Theo by his friends, was the dumbest and kindest of the group. He only had passing grades from his friends and in exchange his friends received unbearable, unfathomable, unceasing love. It was sixth year when Theo first cursed during a study session.

"What the hell," Theo cried in his deep, innocent voice.

"Theo, it's okay-"

"No it's not Halv! You understand chemistry like it's no big deal. It's hard!"

"Hey, I don't like history but you're good at that. Right Theo?"

"No! I'm bad at everything. I'm just exceptinnily bad at this."

"Exceptionally."

"See! Sam's talking and fightin', Marcus is scary and manly, Tanner is coorge-"

"Courage."

"-and history, and you're pretty and chermsty!"

"Chemistry."

"Sam, stop it."

"I can't help it! It's automatic. It's like asking me to stop breathing."

"Please do so. I'd do us all a favor." Sam punched Marcus, who just grinned.

"You're like a meat wall! Did you even feel that? What-"

"Anyway, back to chemistry. It's just like math. You have to memorize the equation and then plug in numbers for the letters and calculate. And Sam stop punching Marcus-"

"He's not even flinching! Look at this! My fist bounces off his pecs. Bounces!" Sam watched in awe as fist continued to rebound off of flesh. "It's not human I tell you!"

"But I don't have all the numbers for the letters Halv!"

"That's what you're solving for. You have to re-write the equation so the letter that doesn't have a number is what you're calculating."

"Why don't they just give me all the numbers?"

"Exactly, Theo. I'm in the same boat. At least you're not limited with words unless you have a limited lexicon."

"Leion?"

"Lexicon. Vocabulary. How many words you actually know." Theo moaned as Tanner entered the barack.

"Hello lovelies." Halv rolled his eyes as he tried helping Theo once more. "Still doing homework eh?"

"Yeah. Unlike you, Majesty, we can't get by without good grades. They'll kick us out if we fail."

"Ohhh I'm gonna get kicked out, Halv!"

"Don't worry my moronic acquaintance," said Tanner as he rubbed Theo's oversized shoulder.

"That's not nice Tanner," Sam chided comically, knowing Tanner had news for them. "What gifts do you have to bestow us, oh Great One."

"Yes my people I have brought you great knowledge from a faraway land that will solve all of your worries."

"Please Gifted One, show us your light-"

"My child, I shall. In due time."

"Dear God." Sam laughed and kicked Halvdan lightly.

"C'mon Halv, have some fun! What is it Tanner?"

"The secret to ending all of this...is this…" Tanner looked left and right, as though scanning for enemies. Not understanding that Tanner was teasing, Theo joined him in the search.

"Uh, I don't see anyone Tanner-"

"Don't encourage him Theo. Don't-"

"Shh." Tanner leaned his light brown head into the circle while everyone leaned in to hear Tanner, minus Halvdan. "The secret is...appeasement."

"So kiss assing?"

"Indeed." Sam sighed, being the first one to pull out of the circle.

"Yeah right, Tanner. Whose ass have you been kissing recently?"

"Mr. Bloom."

"What? No way. He's impenetrable."

"Say you."

"What have you done to entice the grand Mr. Bloom?"

"An interest in the dark arts." Sam listened as Tanner continued. "Leaning the misguided into a land of passion, power, riches beyond what currency could really buy. Supplement with payment, yes, but could you afford the true art? Absolutely not. One must learn to let himself go and to train in such arts-"

"Sex. You're talking about sex." Tanner sighed, dropping his arms from his speech.

"Way to ruin the moment Sam."

"You haven't been fucking Mr. Bloom."

"Oh? And you can prove that, can you," Tanner challenged, crossing his arms.

"Yeah. Because he's not a homosexual."

"A houda whata?"

"A homosexual, Theo, is someone who has sexual interactions with another of their same genre."

"Huh?"

"Tanner is saying Mr. Bloom is fucking him. A man sleeping with a boy. It's against Arendellian law and would be punishable by death on both their parts if anything about this claim is true."

"DON'T DIE TANNER!"

"Shut up," everyone whispered, trying to calm Theo down.

"NO NO NO TANNER MY FRIEND DON'T DIE TANNER-"

"I'm not going to die!" Theo, relieved, sat back down with Halvdan and his Chemistry textbook.

"If he's telling the truth and gets caught, he will."

"I won't get caught, Sam. Besides, I need the grades-"

"Who else?"

"What?"

"You have A's and B's in every class and haven't done homework this whole year. Who else?" Tanner grinned. Sam squeaked, "All of them? You're joking?"

"I'm not."

"But Tanner! You're twelve! That's statutory rape, child molestation, gross indecency-"

"What?"

"Theo it means if this continues, someone is going to die. Tanner, this has got to stop if you're being serious about this Mr. Bloom's thing-"

"I can't! I don't have a choice! I'm not smart like you or Halvdan or Roger and I'm not pure muscle like Marcus and Theo. They will kick me out because they see me having nothing to offer. If I get kicked out, I'm done. No one else will hire me. This is my shot and I can't throw that away-"

"Turn in these professors! They're the criminals making you feel this way-"

"I need the grade! If they get new teachers, they'll be just as harsh if not harsher on the curriculum. I can't-"

"Idiot, you have us! Why do you think we're sitting around for? Tea time? We're studying, reading, getting shit done. If you need help, ask-"

"No Sam! I can do this myself!"

"You can't live life by yourself, so why try?" Silence filled barack 19 with complete silence. A professor called Tanner's name from the midnight air.

"That's Mr. Bloom. It's his night." Tanner straightened his green sixth-year uniform and sighed.

"Don't do this Tanner. You're better than this."

"No I'm not." Tanner left into the dark, leaving the others to watch as the door closed quietly. Minutes passed before Sam rocketed to the door, not even bothering to grab a jacket to fight the winter air.

"Sam," the boys cried, all but one.

"Leave the man alone. He's not going to say anything. He's just mad."

"How do you know Roger? He's like a time bomb-"

"It appears to be that way to you, doesn't it?" Roger never bothered to raise his eyes from the book in his lap. "To me he appears to be a man who cares."


	11. Past: Chapter VIII

Past

Chapter VIII

"I can't believe him! How could he do this to himself-"

"Sam, it's his life and he can do what he pleases with it-"

"But submit himself to that level? To him? A professor? It's wrong!"

"I know but it's his choice to do that instead of get help."

"Why Jake? Why? I don't get it-"

"Your voice is rising."

"I don't care!"

"I meant in pitch, not volume."

"So? I'm livid. I don't care if the whole world hears me!"

"You should." Jake stood, wrapping his arms around his Guardian companion.

"What are you doing?"

"Comforting you. You're upset and you hate that you can't fix this on your own like you do everything. You're helpless to the madness around you and you hate it. And you have every right to hate it. Tanner is your friend and you care about him. It's the punishment we must pay for loving another."

"I don't love Tanner-"

"Platonically you do." His friend sighed into his black dress shirt.

"What are you wearing?"

"Hum?"

"This shirt? And the smell-"

"Oh. It's cologne. And a dress shirt I bought in town today." Sam sighed again. At least, that's what it was to Sam. To Jake it was a hum that rumbled deep within Sam's very being that rattled Jake's bones and made him weak. He hated when Sam did that, and yet he loved it more than anything in the world.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Buy the shirt and the cologne?"

"Oh. Oh yeah." Jake almost collapsed at the sound of Sam's laugh.

"Yeah, silly, that. What's up with you? You've been acting weirdly for the last few days."

"You know what day it is today, right?"

"No. Lost track of time after finals." Jake nudged the cadet's cheek. Sam's shallow breathing, the feeling of their two bodies touching each other, it was intoxicating. "What are you doing?'

"Relishing. Sorry." Jake pulled away, trying to break the curse his lifetime companion had put on him, but then their eyes met and he went under once more.

"So what day is it?"

"Hum?"

"The date. You asked me what day it was like it's something important."

"It's Valentine's Day." Sam nodded slowly, giving Jake odd glances. _Don't mess this up Jake, don't mess this up man-_

"And that's important why?"

"Because," Jake smiled, spinning Sam around, "it's the day before your birthday, silly. You'll be eleven, you know."

"Okay," Sam giggled. "That's nice and all, but we've never celebrated Valentine's Day before. Why the change all of the sudden?"

"Because changes are happening everyday."

"Like you?" Jake let Sam's carefully calloused hands fall lightly at the guard's side.

"What do you mean?"

"You're fourteen. You have some changes of your own."

"Like?"

"Well," the guard said nervously, "you're taller than me for once. And you're stronger and just bigger in general. You have dark facial hair," Sam whispered, dragging a soft thumb across Jake's five o'clock shadow. "You're actually becoming attractive." Jake smiled sweetly, kissing Sam's hand. Jake's heart raced, waiting "...and you probably have a date tonight! That's why you're all dressed up! I'm sorry, I'm intruding-"

"No, actually Sam-"

"I'll go. I don't need to be complaining about my troubles to the lucky guy." Turning to leave, the blond stopped, grumbled, then turned to fix Jake's shirt. "You know, you should have ironed this."

"I'm sorry."


	12. Past: Chapter IX

Past

Chapter IX

Chaos. Maddness. Everything was falling apart.

It was early March. Elsa was playing with her sister Anna. Anna was struck.

Sam rushed to the castle. Something was wrong and the cadet could feel it.

"Sam! Where are you going," but the guard didn't stop. Long legs carried the blond to the castle in three minutes. It would take most people five just to get to the outside of Arendelle.

"Elsa," Sam cried, pushing guards and servants out of the way. The Guardian grabbed one housekeeper recalled by the vision. "Elsa, the Princess, where? Tell me!"

"Bed," the woman stammered. She remembered the Guardian well.

"Elsa!" Sam ran to the dining hall. Those girls always played there at night.

"Anna," squeaked Elsa as Anna fell to the ground. A streak in the red head's hair turned white. "Anna!"

"Elsa," Sam rushed to the girl's side, taking Anna into her arms.

"It was an accident-"

"Calm down." Sam rubbed a carin gthumb over the child's forehead. A blue haze lifted from Anna. Elsa gasped

Doors flew open. "Get away from her!"

"John, I'm halfway done. Just leave me be!"

"This is getting out of hand," the King gasped, tearing the little girl out of her arms.

"John, this is what I'm here to do! Please, let me help! I can fix this-"

"You've done enough." The King held Anna while the Queen dragged Elsa away.

"I'm sorry Anna." Sam sat on the cold castle floor, defeated.

"Please John. Please." But they were gone.

The General tossed Sam into the carriage. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Helping my Kid. It was an accident. Please, let me help."


	13. Past:Chapter X

Past

Chapter X

"Heard last night was a doozy."

"Yeah." Sam sat across from Jake, a cup of hot tea in hand.

"Drink it. It'll make you feel better."

"I hate tea." Jake sighed. He knew how hard it was for a Guardian to be denied from helping their Kid.

"She's alright. It was just an-"

"You know that idiot of a father of hers went to the trolls?"

"The trolls?"

"Yeah, those trolls created by Madame Lorraine."

"I thought that was a myth."

"No, they're real."

"But who would create a troll from rocks?"

"Well, according to the story, someone who is lonely, seriously depressed, and needed to do something with their time. Now her soul created these magical beings that John thought could help them."

"Because of Grandpappy and his powers?"

"Yeah. Which is stupid because, as Elsa's Guardian, I have them too."

"Yup."

"And then this "Grandpappy" gives them the advice that Elsa needs to learn to control her powers or bad things will happen."

"Which you told them as soon as you were assigned to her."

"Exactly! And you want to know what John does? Do you?"

"Probably not but you're going to tell me anyway."

"He decides to lock her in her bedroom!"

"What?"

"Yeah. Exactly. I mean what kind of decision is that? 'Here, let's have Grandpappy erase Anna's memory of Elsa's powers then lock our daughter away in a tiny room for her entire life. We're great parents!'"

"Wow-"

"Yeah. I'm a bit pissed-"

"I couldn't tell-"

"And for running my ass off to help this girl, the council is deciding if I'm kicked off the Guard or not today! Oh, I'm sorry I'm trying to protect the Princess and the royal family as I was trained to do."

"Didn't you want to leave the Guard and on the King's orders was forced to join?"

"Yup. And I wanted them to kick me out any time before now, but since Elsa is locked in her room like Rapunzel for eternity-"

"You can't see her unless you're a family member, servant, or-"

"Guard. Exactly." Sam sighed, voice trembling in frustration. "I hate this. I can't do anything to help this girl. I hate it. Why bond me to her if you didn't want me to help her? I just...I can't-"

"Sam," Jack whispered, raising his hand to put on his friend's back.

"Don't touch me." He lowered his hand.

The decision was made later that day. Sam was to stay in the Guard for it was proven by the trolls that Sam's actions saved Anna's life. No surprise there.


	14. Present: Chapter VI

Present

Chapter VI

The room was filled to the brim with people. The chorus stood on the upper level of the chapel, attempting to hide the Guards behind them. Sam smirked at them, leaning on the bannister near the Duke of Wessleton. Children played in the aisles, getting in the way of the adults trying to find seats. Sam smiled.

"Why she wanted kids I'll never understand." A group of boys pushed past the banished assassin, not even blinking an eye. "Rotten little-"

"Excuse us, I'm really sorry," a child said as it ran by, lightening blond hair bouncing with the momentum of running.

"Excuse me," Sam started to say but froze. The child turned to look at the adult it was passing...she was passing, and smiled. The girl had long, wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. Porcelain skin shined with the summer sun and her teeth were as bright as twinkling stars. Before Sam could process the scene, the girl was gone, chasing after the boys in adorable frustration. Now extremely uncomfortable, the assassin rubbed slightly against the wooden banister. Sam searched for something to focus on and found a young man sitting in the fourth row with the Weasel. Brownish-red hair, this strapping young man sat in the Southern Isle regalia. "You must be one of George's thirteen sons," Sam murmured, watching the boy carefully. "Why are you here?"


	15. Past: Chapter XI

Past

Chapter XI

"'A Coffin—is a small Domain,

Yet able to contain

A Citizen of Paradise

In it diminished Plane.

A Grave—is a restricted Breadth—

Yet ampler than the Sun—

And all the Seas He populates

And Lands He looks upon

To Him who on its small Repose

Bestows a single Friend—

Circumference without Relief—

Or Estimate—or End— '"

"Which poet is that again, Hal?"

"Emily Dickinson." Melissa sighed. It had become an annual thing for Melissa to visit her uncle, and there was only one guard she would tolerate: Halvdan. He was invested into poetry much like herself and she found this passion for words in Halvdan to be quite romantic. What use to be something they would discuss to pass the time and not tear each other apart had slowly become the highlight to Melissa's summer. Every year.

"Do you like Emily Dickinson?"

"Yes I do."

"Hum. And Celent?"

"I grew out of him. I'm more of a Maya Angelou fan now."

"Who?"

"Maya Angelou. She wrote "I Rose" and-" Melissa giggled.

"I know Maya Angelou. You talk about her constantly." Halvdan beamed, roses flushing his cheeks. Melissa loved it when he did that.

"I can't help it. I think she's wonderful."

" I love that Yeats of yours. _Second Troy, Easter, 1916_-"

"_Byzantium, A Drinking Song_-" Melissa tapped him on the shoulder with her petty foot.

"Will you read me Shakespeare?"

"Only if you want _Much Ado About Nothing_. I only brought that one."

"_Much Ado About Nothing_. I don't think I've ever heard that one before."

"You'll love it. I know it." She watched as the handsome guard went to the very beginning of the play. "ACT I SCENE I. Before LEONATO'S house.

_Enter LEONATO, HERO, and BEATRICE, with a MESSENGER_

LEONATO." Melissa laughed at Halvdan's different voices. "I learn in this letter that Don Peter of Arragon comes this night to Messina.

MESSENGER:

He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off when I left him.

LEONATO

How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?

MESSENGER:

But few of any sort, and none of name.

LEONATO: A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here that Don Peter hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio."

"Halvdan?" He turned to see Melissa watching him.

"Yes?"

"Is there anything else you've thought of doing while on these trips with me?" He folded the page in the play, watching the General's niece carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you ever thought of doing something worth writing poetry about? Like, I don't know, maybe something romantic," Melissa asked seductively, placing a delicate tanned hand on Halvdan's chest. Halvdan tried scurrying to his feet but was trapped by Melissa's large, deep brown eyes.

"Well, um, I mean, I've written poetry before in my free time but it's never any good. Phew, is it hot in here? I'll get the window," he stammered, pulling away from her lustful gaze.

"You might not want to do that Hal."

"Why? I mean it is summer and it just gets so stuffy in here-" Suddenly a spray of water drenched Halvdan from the open window. Melissa giggled as he forced the window closed. The guard wiped the river Zea off his eyes, not noticing the woman getting off the bed and walking over to his side. She was inches away from him by the time he put his jacket down. "Woah there sister. No no no no no." Halvdan guided Melissa back to her bed. "None of that, silly. can't have that-"

"Why not Hal?"

"Because you're thirteen."

"You are too."

"No, Melissa-"

"Do you not feel this way about me?" Halvdan stared and the slender, sleek, shimmering woman who stood before him. He was taught to never lie, but he was also told never to be intimate with a client.

"What way? There's a ton of ways to feel about people. Just about any emotion could become an actual feeling for another. There's mad that turns into anger and hatred, sad into depressed and disappointed-"

"And love stays the same."

"Oh you can play this game too? See? There's something else we can do!"

"Hal-"

"Let's see, disgusting into disgust, obviously disgust, but there's also vile-"

"I like you, Halvdan."

"I like you too." Halvdan put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away from him as possible. "But, you see, I'm claustrophobic and I just need that little bubble of air and stuff, I mean, it gets really bad when I don't. I start to get all sweaty and these rashes pop up everywhere-"

"Halvdan, do you want me to kiss you or not?"

"Oh, see, that sounds nice and all, really lovely but, um, I...am also a germaphobe! Yeah! Germaphobe!"

"You eat nuts off the floor-"

"And I pay for it later!" Her tanned lips clashed against his pink, her lively tongue dancing across his palate. He stared wide-eyed at her, trying to find an excuse to stop this madness, but he couldn't. She was beautiful with her luscious black hair, soft skin, enticing aroma, oh God he just wanted every bit of her he could get. He felt her lips slipping between his own, licking, sucking, biting at him, and he couldn't help the moan that slipped from his throat. She pulled away, grinning, placing her hand behind his head, pulling him in for more.

"Don't fight. Just do." His eyes fluttered closed with their next kiss. He allowed his mouth to open wider so she could explore him as he let his fingers trace the seams of her golden dress. His other hand got tangled in her hair, lost in its thickness and strength. She moaned into him, pushing against him. More. She wanted more.

"We shouldn't," he murmured secretly into her ear, sucking on her decorated earlobe. Her voiced hitched, back arching into his palms. He rubbed the line from her shoulders to her ass with his calloused thumb and, as he reached the end of his tracing, he tightly grabbed her around the waist, claiming her as his own.

"I want to. Don't stop," she begged. She loved every movement he made; his face in her hair, his left hand on her waist, grasping her so tightly she thought she would snap, his right tilting her neck for him to devour. She could feel his blue eyes burying into her body, her soul, her being as he undid the straps. With unveiled shoulders and soon to be bare breasts, she was helpless to his lust. Every inch of her was covered by him, he made sure of it. Pelvis against pelvis, neck against fiery lips, nails against flesh, they each fought each other for a chance to explore.

Then there was a knock on the door.

Halvdan pushed her away. They stared at each other.

The knock came again.

"Melissa? You there?" She blinked a few times, pulling herself together.

"Yes, Ryan I'm here."

"You'll be home in half an hour."

"Thank you."


	16. Past: Chapter XII

Past

Chapter XII

"You didn't actually sleep with her, right?"

"No, no I didn't-"

"Then I don't see why you're worried-"

"I kissed the General's niece!"

"Quiet!" Halvdan sat on the bunk, head in his hands. "You're going to be in trouble if you tell him."

"What am I supposed to do? Keep this a secret?"

"Yes dummy. That's exactly what you do."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice Sam." Green eyes rolled to the back of Sam's skull.

"Was she pretty?"

"Yeah Theo, she's pretty. I wouldn't expect less than Halvdan to get the girl from Baskwell."

"Baskwell, huh? Good man!"

"Marcus, don't encourage him."

"Why not? He's getting it from a Baskwell girl! They're gorgeous. Oh, does she have that trademark skin-"

"Sun-kissed, silky soft, deep eyes with matching hair?"

"Well that's the romantic way of putting it but yeah, sounds about right."

"Yes, yes she does."

"Ohhh, our Halv is doing good." Green eyes rolled once more.

"You're pigs. The lot of you."

"I haven't said a word."

"Not saying anything is still taking action." Roger smirked, still reading his book.

"That is indeed true. I'm taking the side of the one who is sexually inadequate to have an opinion. But she does sound very pretty." The rickety door of barack 19 burst open with Tanner's arrival. His hair stood on end at every angle as he handed Halvdan a package.

"What's this Tanner?"

"Open it hot shot and see." Not wanting an argument, Halv unwrapped the gift. It was a container holding a specific charm on the string. Sam, seeing it, grumbled, displeased to say the least.

"What is it?"

"It's a condom." Tanner, proud of his work, beamed at Halvdan.

"Yeah it is! Up top, big man!" Halvdan refused the high five. "Oh come on! You don't want her to get-"

"Tanner that's enough."

"What's got your undies in a bundle, huh? Our Halv here has a girl and he should be congratulated-"

"CONGRATS HALV!"

Rubbing his ears from the roar, Halvdan replied with a polite, "Thank you Theo."

"See? These are special condoms. They're charmed so that they don't look like you're wearing them and it doesn't feel like they're on either."

"Please don't demonstrate."

"Oh contraire." Tanner, turning deliberately to Sam, dropped his drawers. "See? Completely see through."

"Dammit Tanner get that monstrosity away from me!"

"It is a monster. Reahr," Tanner growled, making cat paws at Sam, who was turned away in disgust. Strutting, Tanner continued, "You know you love it, darling."

"I can't wait till next year when we get the tents!" With that Sam stormed out of the barack.

The General watched Halvdan carefully after his trip with Melissa. He seemed very on edge and avoided him more frequently than most of the boys did. He knew something was going on between them, but he couldn't figure out how far it had gone. Watching Tanner dance into the barack like thfucking moron he is and Sam bolt out, he knew the secret had been revealed. Now all he had to do was get it out of the boy. He signaled Sam over to his office where they sat and discussed the issue. He noticed Sam was still taller than most, around Marcus' height at five foot five now, but still wasn't filling out. What was wrong with him?

Before Sam could sit down, the boy asked, "You want to know about Halvdan's trip. Believe me, you men are awful actors. You couldn't slide anything past me if you wanted to." The blond reminded him of his wife in the odd way he put his hands on his hips when he knew something was going on and he knew exactly what it was. It unnerved him. "They are apparently a thing now but nothing past kissing occurred. From what I understand she started it." The General nodded, opening the door again for Sam, allowing the boy to leave. "Thank you," he said chipley, going back down the hill. The General laughed to himself. Secretly he did like that kid. Too smart for his own damn good. Manipulative, too. He would have made a good politician.

A sharp pain started ebbing at the General. He held his left arm, trying to stop the pain, but it only worsened. This sudden onset caused him to fall to his knees; the pain was unbearable. "Sir, I need you to stand up," Sam ordered, grabbing his free arm.

"What?"

"Don't talk, don't argue. Do as I say and I'll explain later."

"Don't you-"

"You have an unbearable pain in your left arm traveling to your neck and fingertips, correct?" The General just stared at the cadet. "Get up. On your feet now. I can't carry you that far." The General stood still clasping his arm. "Cough. Deeply. Hard. If you're doing it right, it should hurt."

"Why?" Sam glared at him.

"You know, I saw you breath in that spider just a minute ago-" The General began coughing, understanding the boy's point. "Deeper. C'mon you could do better. Deeper dammit!" The General was coughing harder now, feeling iron filling his throat with ever wheeze. "Better. Now follow me." The guard led the General through the camp and into town, passing traffic and merchants, pushing through children and asking women to directions. The General couldn't hear where the boy was taking him over his coughing nor could he tell the boy he was feeling faint. "Almost there. Just another block."

"Can't-"

"Don't tell me you can't you panzy ass. Keep coughing." And the world went black.

Burning eyes forced his eyes open to witness a Healer tending to him. "Who are you? What happened?"

"I'm Sarah Muller, one of the Healers here. You had a heart attack."

"What? Heart attack-"

"Probably from your diet, dehydration, and stress combined. You're luck that kid of yours was there watching out for you. Otherwise you'd be dead." Sarah dampened a white cloth and placed it on his head. The coolness was soothing.

"Sam? The kid-"

"Had to drag you here. Tried lifting you with the other neighborhood boys but they couldn't lift you. Sent one kid to find us and a stretcher. Even helped us lift you in here and told us what happened. That's a smart kid you got, real smart. Knew you had a heart attack and made you start coughing. Saved your life, that kid did."

"I owe that boy my life. Could you tell me where he is?" Sarah looked at him, confused. She took a minute to respond to what seemed to him to be a very simple question.

"Told me he'd be back soon. Had to take care of some business."

"Where is he? Really?"

"You thought I would tell a Healer to lie to you," Sam questioned, opening the curtain to his room. "Now why on earth would they do that? Especially about where I'm going-"

"You saved me."

"Yup." The General sat his head back, sighing.

"I'm glad I called you in for that meeting."

"Alight."

"Don't be like that boy. You saved me. I owe you."

"Okay."

"I mean it."

"Why don't you get well and then we can discuss payment...and your sanity for offering me a payment." The General laughed and, with the cloth being cooled again, fell into a deep sleep.


	17. Past: Chapter XIII

Past

Chapter XIII

"Why do you lie to this man?" Sam folded the Arendelle Guard's jacket that belonged to the General, lying it on the chair beside him.

"I'm in the Guard."

"So?"

"So I can't be who I am in the Guard. It's against the law."

"Then why are you in the Guard?"

"King forced me to. Had no choice."

"So it is legal."

"No. I was forced to, but it's not legal."

"That makes no sense. Why would he force a girl into the Arendelle Guard if it's illegal?" Sam sighed, turning to the Healer.

"It's complicated."

"So what, you're never going to tell this man you're a girl? Because of-"

"What makes you think you know all about these sorts of things, hum?" The Healer scoffed, turning away in frustration. Sam sighed. She shouldn't have snapped at the woman who saved Bryon's life, but she couldn't help it. She was always antsy about her gender. She never felt much like a girl before the Guard, but now that she was in it? She was invested and she couldn't get out. She couldn't leave Theo or Roger or Marcus or Tanner, no matter how awful he was, or Halvdan. Or Elsa.

A Healer pulled back the curtain without warning. "I understand it's a curtain and not a door, but a heads up would be nice-"

"This room belongs to the Healers, not you." She recognized this woman's voice and, in defeat, turned to the Guard's Head Healer Ms. Chess. "So this is why you refuse to have your annual check up, hum? I always knew there was something different about you."

"Well now the secret's out. Plan on spreading it to all your little friends?"

"You don't think highly of me, do you Samantha?" Sam turned at the sound of her birth name, a look so venomous in her eyes it should kill.

"Don't you dare-"

"Yeah that's her," a boy's voice said from behind Ms. Chess. She pulled the curtain open to reveal Jake in all his arrogant glory.

"You're not helping," Sam growled, lessening her glare and straightening her posture.

"I'm just glad you're alright. The Healers said you knocked out after getting this guy's fat ass over here-"

"I didn't faint. I've been sleep deprived and I thought the cobblestone looked comfortable." Jake gave her a skeptical look, chestnut eyes digging into her.

"You fucking kidding me? I've been-ow!"

"You will not use that kind of language in this establishment," Ms. Chess said calmly after beating the boy with her Healing staff. Long, narrow, gorgeously designed, and made of solid oak, the staff would definitely leave a bump on Jake's head for the next couple of days.

"Fine-I've been to every Healing Center in this city looking for you. Are you okay?"

"I'm alright. Just peachy until someone decided to check my pants."

"They took off your shirt actually. Thought you passed out from heat stroke and tried to cool you off." Green saucers bulged out of the girl's skull as she looked from Ms. Chess down her shirt then back to the Healer. "Yes, they've been growing in as much as you hate it. Here," Ms. Chess handed Sam a new roll of bandaging tape. "That might work for the next year or so depending on how fast you mature. Come find me when you can't bond it anymore. And also, here's a box of these. I'll see you monthly so you can get some more."

"Monthly? What the hell are they? Ow! Damn you stick. Ow!"

"None of that tongue of yours. And if you don't know what those pads are for, you'll learn soon enough. Now get out of here with your friend before I do inform the Guard of your crime."

"I hate that woman."

"Quiet. She's probably the only person you can rely on for feminine supplies."

Sam chuckled. "And what do you know of feminine supplies?"

"Nothing. That's why I can't help you in that area. You need her whether you like it or not." They both went silent as Sam tried bandaging her tiny breasts flat onto her chest in the tent, Jake refusing to look at her.

"But what if I want sexy feminine supplies? I'll need you then now won't I? Don't need no damn Ms. Chess-" Sam continued to spit horrendous words about the Healer while Jake stopped in his tracks. He tried not to, but dammit Sam forced him to; he imagined her in lacy black cloth covering her sensitive regions, her hair draping over her shoulders, her lips, full, wet, soft- "Shit!" Jake turned to see Sam staring at her pants. She was bleeding. "God dammit, I forgot about this-"

"What the fuck? You're bleeding! You were just at the Healers and this happens? God-"

"Jake, calm down. And I told you not to turn around-"

"You're fucking bleeding! It's like the Red Sea down there."

"Ew, gross Jake. Only you. Hand me those pads over there." Jake chucked the box over to Sam then turned away quickly.

"Why the fuck are you bleeding?"

"To have children, women have to have eggs to fertilized. When they aren't fertilized, they die. When they die, which happens to an egg monthly-"

"I get the concept." He heard her ripping the pad's covering and attaching it to her pants.

"God that's a lot of blood. I didn't expect that much-"

"Don't say anymore." He could hear Sam smiling at his discomfort. Then he heard her groan.

"You have that tea right?"

"Always."

"Could you make me some?"

"You hate tea."

"I might have to learn to love it."

"What's wrong with you now?"

"Nothing. But I know it's coming."

"The end of days, because everyone knows that-"

"No, I mean the cramping."

"This bleeding causes you to cramp too? I'm lucky I'm a dude."

"You should be." Jake hurried the boiling of the water along with his Guardian power and handed Sam the hot cup of tea. "Lucky bastard. I wish I could speed up fire."

"You can do anything involving carbon atoms. I can affect non-living things. I find both to be fantastic abilities we're proud of not abusing."

"Amen." They tapped their tea cups together and sipped on the green tea. Jack couldn't help but grin at the pure displeasure on Sam's face as she swallowed the tea. "God that's awful."

"So how long is this girly stuff supposed to last?"

"Gender? Usually a life time. I don't have _that_ kind of power, Jake." He nudged her. "Oh, you mean playing Noah and the ten plagues? As long as I am physically able to have children. So this might stop when I'm about fifty and then I'll start the next plague: hot flashes."

"You have to deal with bleeding and cramping monthly for the majority of your life?!" She sat staring at the tent wall across from her, thinking about his statement.

"Yup, I think so."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I have cramping and bleeding while you have accidental boners and thinking bitches are the shit at seventy and being like, 'she's pretty, no I just said she was pretty, I don't oh, oh God, oh, ah God dammit, I'm sorry, this is awkward.' So yeah we all have our struggles."

"Preach, preach sister-"

"And yeah, struggles are real now, man."

"Such wise words."

"I try man, I really do."

"You are successful at that attempt."

"Damn straight." They sipped their tea once more. Sam sat down the vile substance to the side of her, watching her friend. "So, um, I was thinking about last year-"

"Many things to remember in one year-"

"And I was recalling February in particular." _Oh God. What have I done? _Jake thought. What if she hates me? She's going to kill me! What if she already knows? "Valentine's Day, actually. And I thought about you with your girl, in Arendelle, and, now thinking back on it, Arendelle doesn't celebrate Valentine's Day. Their celebration of love is in the summer and lasts a whole week. It doesn't even focus on romantic love; it's more platonic, actually." She turned to look at Jake now, his soft eyes examining every feature of her. She felt her heat rising and decided to turn away so she could finish her thought. "So, I guess my thing is, well, I, I was just wondering what all of that was for?"

"All of what?" She tried hiding the shiver that went down her spine when his voice goes quiet and deep as it did just then.

"You know, the dress shirt and the cologne and all of that. What was that for?" She turned just in time for Jake's lips to press against hers. She didn't expect it at all, but she couldn't lie and say she didn't want it. She felt his large hand cup her cheek, pulling her into him and she loved it. A fiery heat exploded in her, causing her to get closer to him. The smell of parchment paper, ink, and that stupid tea became her drug, luring her into his arms, making her desperate for his touch. She wanted him to need her the way she needed him, in this obsessed, crazed, needy way.

_I just wanted to kiss her on the cheek! _his mind screamed as his lips touched hers. _I didn't plan for this! What do I do? Does she even want this? I definitely went too far!_ But then he felt her lips part so his top lip was in between hers. He was shocked at the feeling but didn't hesitate once they started. He pulled her in, longing for her body to be pressed against his. Under, over, even with him, he didn't care. He wanted her and that was final. She wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him access to her hips. Those strong hips twitching underneath his grasp. He felt himself stiffening, trying to not go hard, but her thigh was right on his groin, her moans were in his mouth, her nails dug into his hair, begging to be held, her, her, her. He pulled her dominantly over his waist, feeling her body slightly arch in confusion and desperation. He bit down on her lower lip, encouraging her to open wider for his tongue.

She had never felt this way before. Her pulse combined with his beat against her groin and she was losing control. The way he just grabbed her, thrusting her into his arms made her body go weak. She didn't care about anything: the Guard, bleeding, Valentines, why she was doing this. All she cared about was him. Him and her body's addiction to him. She felt her legs spread wider for him, lost in his kisses. He grabbed her ferociously by the ass, causing her to buck into him. She could feel his smile on her lips, but he wasn't going to just give herself away to him. She wanted this same kind of need from him and wasn't going any further until she got it.

She shifted, moving his rock-hard penis more towards her opening. He moaned as her lips traveled from his mouth to his neck, allowing her tongue to dance across his ear. He dug his fingers into her, encouraging her to continue. He needed this. And he loathed the moment when it would end. He felt her slender finger drag across this chest to the hem of his shirt. Knowing what she wanted, he helped her tear the shirt away, leaving his bare chest to her pleasure. She traced his nipples and every outline of muscle on him as he lifted her shirt off of her.

She felt like her head was in the clouds. His heat drove her to insanity, his voice past any hope she had to going back to what they were before. They would never be the same and she wanted it that way. His strong pectorals were just the beginning to his hand-crafted abdomen. She never realised how strong he really was, and yet it wasn't so much muscle as to be overwhelming. It was enough to take control of her senses as he relieved her of her top half of her clothing. She sighed as he traced her bandages with his hands and trembled as he started to undo them. "Jake," she whispered, not knowing what else to do but needing him to continue. But a whisper was all it took. Her pants were off in an instant, thrown off by his strong hands. Her breathing became shallow and rigid as he sat up, observing her almost-naked body. He leaned back in, tearing off the bandaging while nipping at her neck. She tore at him, clawing his shoulders as he rolled himself into her. He pulled lightly on the skin between her neck and shoulder, driving her wild. She could feel how long he had wanted this as she realised just how long she had wanted the same thing.

It was unbearable. Her smooth body pinned underneath him, her eyes rolling into the back of her skull, her impatience was exhilarating. He pressed his pelvis against her greedy hands, allowing her to unbuckle his belt and to fling it across the room. She started rolling her pelvis into his then, forcing him to flatten them hard against the blanket beneath them so he could finish with the damn bandaging. Finally he tossed the shredded bandaging aside and revealed her breasts. Tiny yet pink and soft, he couldn't help but stare. He could see her hesitation at the long pause, but he had to look at her. Fully. The way she should be seen. An animalistic craving for dominance and lustful passion surged through him as he thrust his mouth onto her left breast, his hands pinning her down under him, his penis entering her slowly.

She felt trapped in the most blissful way imaginable. He had her stuck between her widening pelvis, his calloused hands, and his mouth on her breast. She never thought anything could feel as good as he did tugging and sucking on her breast. As he entered, she tried pulling away from him, afraid. She didn't know what she was doing or if she should have been doing this, but one of his guided hands forced himself anyway, not allowing her to second guess. This was it. No more secrets, no more turning away. They wanted each other and dammit they were going to get what they wanted come hell or high water.

He had no idea what he was doing and, quite frankly, he didn't care. He let his hips and his rock-hard dick do all the teaching he needed. He wasn't letting her slip away, no way. This was too much to stop now. After getting himself started, he thrusted himself into her. Her vagina squeezed intensely against him. And she screamed. God it was the most wonderful thing to hear in the world. She moaned helplessly, watching him like the prey preparing for the kill. Damn did he love it. But this wasn't all about him. Not now. He watched her green eyes go from wonder to pure terror back to wonder again. She wanted this. He knew it. But they just didn't know how to execute. "I have no idea what to do," he admitted, knowing it would make her feel better.

"I know," she whispered, kissing him softly. "Just do it. We'll figure it out along the way."

"Sam, I-"

"Stop talking Jake and just fuck. God I'm horny-" her passionate kiss was all he needed. He began moving inside of her, one hand on her back for comfort, the other hand forcing her to continue kissing. He knew it always hurt the first time and he wanted her to know he was there for her. She kissed him back while staring at him wide eyed.

Fuck it hurt. It was like fire. She could feel every movement, every thrust, every twitch. Yet she loved it. She knew that's why he was kissing her. His cravings did not consist of kissing her softly and coaxing her into it. This was about her. He wanted to be an animal, tearing into her and making her his own, but she couldn't handle it just yet. "Just a little longer," she told him, "then you can seriously fuck me. Just...just please go slow."


	18. Present: Chapter VII

Present

Chapter VII

"Anna's smitten with the Southern Isle boy? She must be joking. Do you see those side burns?"

"Whose side burns?" Sam chuckled at the boy sitting by her in the far left aisle.

"No one. Don't worry about it."

"All rise for her Royal Highness Princess Elsa." All stood to see the to-be Queen of Arendelle. Sam stood slowly, observing the young woman. Beautiful as ever in the classical Arendelle formality. Head held high, shoulders back, back straight.

"Look. There's a real Princess," Sam whispered to the boy.

"I can't see!"

"Here." She put the boy on her shoulders. There was a moment where the boy just stared at Elsa.

"She's pretty."

"Yeah," Sam agreed with a sigh. "She really is."


	19. Past: Chapter XIV

Past

Chapter XIV

"I'm sorry." Sam sat with her knees to her chest, staring out into the night from the crease in the tent.

"Sorry? For what? This is the best night of my life," Jake growled in his seductive deep voice. He crawled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, covering her in soft, love-tented kissed from forehead to jawline. She moved her hair out of the way as he lowered himself to that wonderful spot between neck and shoulder he discovered she was so fancy of. Sam couldn't fight his desire to suck on her neck, no matter if it killed her that he used it against her; it was too enticing. She mused at his kissing, pulling him in.

"You know what I mean." He deepened the kissing and the sucking. He knew exactly what she meant and she knew it. "Nice try hot stuff."

"What did I ever do to displease you," he questioned half-heartedly, now biting into her neck. God she loved that.

"Stop that. I'm trying to...oh God right there," she whispered, succoming to him. "Damn you." Her voice hitched. He grinned, licking the hickey he left on her.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't talk to you while you're setting me on edge. Stop it," she teased as he pushed her onto her back again. He kissed her, deeply. Meaningly. He really wanted her to drop the subject. Well she could play this game too.

"That's cheating," he croaked, his voice breaking from her teasing his groin.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Two can play at this." He found her clitoris during intercouse and now rubbed it slightly with his thumb, causing her back to arch and her knees to buckle.

"Not fair," she moaned into his shoulder, trying to stay composed. He rubbed harder. "Baby, oh shit don't stop."

"I love it when you beg," his voice rumbled against her throat.

"What do you want?" Her feet twisted around his, her legs widening for him to enter once more, her mind wired.

"The same thing you want, darling."

"Cheater."

"Quiet." He dragged the back of his nail against her thigh, causing her body to move frantically, dying for his attention.

"I'm not dropping it. I'll just bring it up later."

"Or I could fuck you so hard you forget it entirely."

"But that's the problem." She rolled out from underneath him, going back into her earlier position. "I didn't do what you wanted and I'm sorry." She could sense Jake's reaction to her statement from his prolonged silence.

"You kidding me? You don't think I enjoyed that? I loved every minute of that!"

"But it wasn't as intense as you wanted it to be."

"Samantha, that was the most intense thing I've ever done. You were amazing-"

"I didn't let you go hard enough."

"The first time hurts. I get it." He turned her around, placing his head into her hands in her lap. "Is that the only time you think we'll have sex? Because if that's the case we're fucking all night and not stopping and I hope you can't walk for the next week because I'm going to fuck you any time I can through that week." Sam giggled, shaking her head. "Then I think we have some time to work things out. I probably wasn't the best either but how am I going to know what to do differently if we don't keep going? It'll still hurt for you and that will hurt me and it will be one big pile of hurt until we get past this hurdle. Okay darling? You didn't do anything wrong. If anyone did anything negative it was me-"

"I love it when you call me darling." He smiled, raising his head enough to kiss her softly.

"Jake? I think Mrs. Kodic wanted you to help her with that cow of hers. Said she was pregnant again and was having trouble the last two births-"

"Could that woman not get that cow pregnant? Do her a favor." Chuckling, Sam leaned over and kissed him.

"She's a dairy cow. Has to produce milk."

"Must the poor beast be ridiculed by her sex, having the only purpose in life to produce cheese and calfs?" Sam gathered her supplies for the Guard and threw it in her bag.

"She could be butchered. Would you prefer that fate? It's what happens to most bulls, whom are ridiculed by their gender by being the main supply of meat on our tables."

"It's sad I stand up for the rights of your gender more than you do."

"I'm not a cow."

"How did I know you'd say that?"

"Because we've been together for too long." Jake read in one of his myriad of books, flipping the stained pages and reading the ancient words of centuries past places upon them. He put down his newest story and watched the beautiful woman before him rushing around, searching for her everyday tools of womanhood survival.

"Must you leave this early?"

"It's four thirty. It's not early."

"In the morning."

"Boys are up by five and they can't know I have a vagina. So yeah, four thirty."

"But it's a wonderful vagina."

"I'm glad you think so. It might get you laid tonight." He shot his hands into the air, the signal of victory as Sam laughed. "Goodbye baby."

"Goodbye darling." She closed the tent behind her, jogging over to the training camps. He sighed, about to continue his reading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when something his lover said struck him. _We've been together too long._ How long have they been in a relationship exactly? He set his mind to solving that conundrum...right after he finished this book.

She walked in at lunchtime to see him sprawled out in the living room, distraught. "Honey? You alright there?"

"923."

"923 what?"

"923 days. We've been together for 923 days. That's roughly two years and six months." Sam stood in the doorway, thinking this over.

"Seems reasonable. We have been together for a while-"

"That makes you fifteen." The cadet put down her supplies, leaning over the sofa while dramatically flipping her hair.

"Oh my gosh, like, seriously? I had no idea," she teased, twirling her hair in between her fingers.

"This is serious."

"Why are you so worried about this? And did you help Mrs. Kodic this morning."

"No. Her husband came over, said the birth went fine and they didn't need help."

"Well that's fantastic."

"It's also fantastic no one has put two and two together."

"Jake, what's wrong?" He turned sharply to her making sandwiches in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Making lunch." She bit into her sandwich, moaned appreciatively, and shook the other at him. "Want one?" He jumped over the sofa and knocked the ruben onto the floor. "What the hell?"

"Don't conform to your sexist stereotypes! You're better that that! You're beautiful and smart and-"

"You feminist lunatic I was hungry! Seriously? We couldn't have saved this till after I ate? I mean, if you're going to knock over a sandwich, next time do it to yours." She took his sandwich, bit into it, and sat on the tiny, falling-apart sofa. Jake kneeled in front of her as she stuffed the meal into her mouth, sauce dripping down her face.

" Women your age usually get married around this time in their lives."

"Yeah, but from the realm we come from, it's not even legal till eighteen. And if you really were a feminist-" she took a pause to swallow, "-you would be like, 'a woman can marry when she feels like it. Hell, she doesn't even need to marry. Fuck men.'"

"Sam-"

"Jake I really don't understand where you're going with this-" Jake, despite being furious at the moment, couldn't help but smile as Thousand Island Dressing ran down her lips.

"Don't move." He kissed her, licking the juices running down her face. "Damn that does taste good." She pointed angrily at the kitchen floor. "Yeah I know, if I'm hungry, eat off the floor like the misogynistic pig that I am." She grinned in satisfaction and continued eating. "Anyway, we've been together for almost three years now and, well, I haven't really contributed at all."

"You have a penis. That's contributing."

"But I don't do anything. I lay around here, reading to my heart's delight, attempting to be a poet while you're out there with a real job putting food on the table."

"But it's the food I want so we're cool."

"No, we're not cool'. I love you and yet all I do for you is spend all of your money. I'm a child. I'm a giant man child."

"Now if all men could sit down and have this appiphany-"

"Sam, I'm not kidding. I'm going to go out and be a man."

"Who said poets weren't men? I find them to be very romantic, sweet, caring, humorous, and witty. Who needs anyone other than that? Jake I love you and that's not going to change so-"

"I'm going to go out and get you a job. I want to be able to spoil you with my own money."

"Now you're just being ridiculous. You be a writer, I'll be a worker, it'll all work out, it always has-"

"What did you say earlier?"

"That you're the writer and I'm-"

"No before that."

"Uh, poets can be men?"

"After that?"

"Jake, what are you hinting to-"

"You said you loved me." They sat there in silence, Jake staring in disbelief, Sam eating her sandwich. "We made an agreement years ago that we would never say we loved one another-"

"Well I obviously broke that agreement."

"But you said you loved me-"

"Okay. And?"

"And? _And?_ And you're okay with that?"

"Yup." Sam nodded, cabbage bouncing onto her plate. Jake continued to stare. Sam swallowed, sighed. "Look, we've been together for ages now. I can't imagine life without you and financially you need me and that's good enough for my satisfaction. For fuck's sake you just kissed me to lick Thousand Island Dressing off my are to the love point, Jake. We've been there for quite some time." He kissed her again as her eyes fluttered closed.

"I love you too." She smiled. "And that's why I'm getting a job." Her smile faded.

"Stubborn ass. Well I can't force you not to. I find it to be a very unwise decision. Your passion is in writing and-"

"I need to take care of the woman I love." Her shoulders slumped in defeat as he traced her jawbone with his thumb.

"Don't hurt yourself."

"I won't. I promise."

Halvdan was very confused. He sat in his cot on the floor, thinking about his friend, his comrade, his enemy. Sam. Everything was about Sam. Sparring tournaments, valedictorian, the graduate becoming an automatic General on Bryon's orders. Sam. Daring green eyes and thick, dirty blond hair cut off at the shoulder, ruffled and messy constantly. Sam. Tall, lean, not what you would expect a Guard to look like. Most boys grow into their bodies and bulk up, but not Sam. Sam's always been tall like that. And it oddly made his heart beat faster.

He didn't know when this started. Probably when he broke up with Melissa. Sam's suggestion. Thought she was a gold digger or in search of a boy toy. Sam strikes again with the whip of truth. Sam has always watched his back, and now graduating as Sam's right-hand man, he couldn't hide this to himself, or his friend, anymore. He had to tell him. Even if it killed him.

He waited for the third chime after lunch. That's always when Sam would come running back from wherever he hid in the trees. He didn't know why he did that. Again, Halvdan was very confused. But he knew whatever was going on with him needed to be verbalized. Then encouraged, dismissed, or shut down. He didn't mind which was the solution. He just needed the solution. And fast.

Chime one. Most men packed up their things, headed to their tents or the barracks. Sam was no where in sight. Just the thought of that wavy hair made his blood boil. He never thought he was a homosexual till their first night out seventh year when the boys were forced to fight the cold Arendelle winter in the woods alone for a month. Roger had scraped his thigh pretty bad and Sam had to wrap it with the sleeping bag. He stayed with Halvdan, of all people. He still didn't know why.

Chime two. He imagines Sam to a T. Five foot eleven, three inches than himself. Dirty blond hair cut at the shoulders. Deep, adventurous green eyes. Scar on the left index knuckle from Mitch's knife. Bad TMJ. Sore shoulders. Constantly sore shoulders. Long fingers, not double-digit. No glasses. Allergic to cut grass and dead leaves. Favorite holiday is Dark, the day Arendelle remembered the dead, children dress as devils to scare away evil spirits, and Sam finds it ironic it's the parents dressing their kids as evil spirits to scare evil spirits. Classic.

Chime three. His heart was hammering against his ribs now. He could hardly breathe. He couldn't sleep last night, preparing in his mind how this would all go down. He couldn't eat; everything made him nauseous due to the butterflies he had in his stomach. He needed to see Sam. This tourment needs to come to an end.

There he was over the hill, blond hair raising, green coat flapping wildly around him. Halvdan always waited for Sam, but today was different. Today Halvdan was going to be a man.

"Hey Sam. Listen, I need to talk to you-"

"Tonight? Okay. Sounds good," he grumbled in his almost-too-deep-to-be-believable rumble. Halvdan shivered. "Something wrong?

"No, no everything's fine."

"K. Well, gotta get ready for this graduation thing, huh? Ha, General, can you believe that shit?" _I feel faint. Somebody save me, please!_

"Yeah, I can actually. You-you're brilliant."

"Thanks Halv. Having you as my back-up man does help me sleep at night. That's for damn sure." Sam put his hand on Halvdan's shoulders. Halvdan blinked, trying to compose himself. " I mean that, Halv. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You're a great man and I'm lucky to have you at my side."

"Yeah, me too. Glad to be with ya." Sam smiled, removing his arm and running to his tent.


	20. Past: Chapter XV

Past

Chapter XV

Elsa sighed, looking out her bedroom window. Snow was beginning to fall, winter settling in on the tiny region. She watched with darting blue eyes every snowflake fall upon her windowsill. Just turning thirteen, she couldn't stand being cooped up in her room. She heated it. Loathed it. Made her never want to wake up from her dreams of endless sleigh rides and creating snow angels with her family. But she woke up every morning and stayed in her room. She didn't want to hurt Anna again.

She observed the guards heading into the castle, one in particular catching her eye. A tall youth, not bulky like the rest, taking long strides of confidence at the head of the rest. It wasn't an arrogant walk nor the walk of someone who was privileged. No it was the walk of someone achieving a great victory, a leader amongst his troops. To be honest, she found it extremely attractive.

Shaking her head, she moved to her bookshelf, looking for a book to read to explain her feelings for certain men. No one had actually sat her down and explained the changes that happened to her recently, but she was starting to figure it out on her own. Every time her mother discussed the matter, Elsa would sit, petrified, and Anna would struggle to get through the cracked door to see her sister. It was just a mess. She understood the whole reproductive side of things, but she didn't understand why she didn't fit the status quo for the reproductive standards. Most women like strong men with broad shoulders. Elsa always fell for the confident, no matter their strength or shoulders. She didn't even care about their appearance; she just wanted someone who had the confidence to do what needed to be done and let no one stop them. Like the blond she just witnessed. That set jaw, those determined eyes guiding the Guard to his future, strong of spirit more than muscle. Elsa shivered at the thought of him walking through her door-

"Your Highness," a deep, rough door called from outside her chambers.

"Yes Marcus?"

"I must hand my position to Arran, Miss."

"Are you graduating today Marcus," she asked, smiling. Of course she knew he was graduating. She loved it when Bryon assigned boys about to graduate to take care of her. They always had that gleam of pride and excitement in their eyes that made her smile for them.

"Yes Your High-"

"Marcus," she chided, fixing the end of her barade in the mirror.

"Yes Elsa, I am." She couldn't hold back her grin. She was just so excited for them, though she really didn't know why. "Would you like to attend, Elsa?"

"I can't leave this room. We both know that."

"I escort you to the bathroom, don't I?"

"Of course-"

"And the dining hall? And around the grounds in the evening?"

"Yes-"

"Then I can surely escort you to the graduation."

"I would be honored to go Marcus but my father wouldn't allow-"

"To be perfectly frank Elsa, I don't care what your father thinks. He can kick me out of the Guard for taking you-"

"And I could never let him do that! You go Marcus. I'm sure Arran is perfectly capable of watching after me."

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying you need to get use to being with other people if you're going to be Queen and your father has to accept that. Meet the men who will swear by your family name to defend you, and die for you if necessary. These men don't take this oath lightly. Those who abandoned are sentenced to death, no public trial. Usually it's the man's best friends who lower that blade." Elsa cringed at the image. "It would mean the world to them. Please?" She sighed at his plea. She wanted to go, more than anything in the world, but she couldn't. Could she?

"Only if I see my father first."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. If he hears of this, he will throw me out on the street and no one will know why."

"Then I'm definetly not going."

"Elsa, he's more inclined to let me stay if there's a crowd. Besides, I'm not the only one wishing to break you out of your bedroom so you can experience your kingdom."

********************************************************************************************************  
Sam led the company of twenty-five men into the castle, marching on each step, one-by-one, the men filling in behind her. She could barely contain her excitement; no longer was she some cadet the bullies could pick on or some scrawny kid everyone laughed at. Today she was becoming a Guard, and a soldier at that. General of her class with Halvdan as her right-hand man. Bryon was surprised when she picked Halv as her wingman, but she could think of no other. He has been her opposite since day one and for a leader to be successful, they must see the opposite view of things.

They were lined up alphabetically, A's starting them off, ending with Z's, the Assistant General, and the General. One could rank to a General in the old fashioned way, but to graduate as one? It took skill and dedication. The gift she requested of Bryon years prior.

"You want to know how to rank faster?"

"Yes sir."

"Why? You want to graduate a General or something?" She recalled sitting across from him, her arms over the desk. He wasn't as beastly of a man as he was when she first met him and that gave her the confidence to continue.

"That's exactly what I want. Tell me what to do to get there. Teach me. I want to be a leader. I'm not someone who can take orders lightly, as you know. So why not give them?"

The guards lined up in the hall, facing a stairway. On the bottom three steps were their professeurs. The step up was each classes' highest ranked and The General, who was charistically glaring at them. Next was Commander Border and Captain Alexander. Seeing Sam at the front of the ranks, Alexander's temples looked like they would pop at any moment. Last, but certainly not least, was the King of Arendelle in his classic uniform. He was no happier than Alexander to see her at the top of her class. She winked at the both of them, the rest of her face unchanging. The marching ceased.

"Attention!" The boys and girl spun on their heels, facing the men on the stairs. Once in this position, they saluted by thrusting their fists over their hearts. The General called again, "At ease!" Hands went behind their backs and their legs widened to the width of their shoulders. And then the naming began. "Adam, Arnold, Basil-"

"Bassil," she heard the men whisper as the boy walked onto the stage. She hid her smile. Secretly grinning, she watched John as he shook each of their hands and handed them their badges. They wouldn't be sworn in until everyone got their badge of rank and class and then the knighting would begin with the highest of rank down.

"Frederick, Georg-"

"Part of this complete nutritious breakfast," she heard Tanner joke.

"Kevin, quiet Tanner, Kyle-" the boys chuckled as the General continued listing names. Sam listened for her friends to be called as she examined the room. Arendelle marble pillars, high, vaulted ceiling, Marcus walking down the steps with Elsa, granite steps-

"Lucas, Marcus." The General searched the room for her companion. "Marcus? Come out boy, we have things to do this evening."

"Sorry sir. Lost my way down." Marcus kissed the Princess' hand and ran down to Bryon's side. "My apologies."

"Great day to be late don't you think," Captain Alexander grumbled. Sam would have rolled her eyes if she was paying any attention to him. But she wasn't.

She was watching her, Elsa, hiding behind the shadows of the pillar. She was taller than Sam remembered, and far more mature too. Small breasts started poking from the fabric of her hazel dress. She had grown into her mother's chin and elegant fingers with her father's eyes and charming smile. The girl-was she, what, thirteen now?-stared in awe at all the boys who were staring at her. She looked at every single one of them, including Sam. Once the Princess saw the General-to-be, she stopped.

Elsa could hardly breathe. So many people were looking at her! She had never seen this many people in the grand entryway before, all lined up. It was like a dance; these men's movements were so organised, choreographed. Short boys, tall boys, red haired, brown haired, dark eyed, bright eyed, tan skin, pale skin, the menagerie of them all was overwhelming. That was what she thought until she made eye contact with the blond.

He was standing there, staring at her. Blatantly. The other boys at least acted like they weren't staring, but he was. Elsa's heart started to beat rapidly as she examined his eyes, deep green like the Baskwellian Sea, hair was ruffled in an almost teased way, long arms and sun-kissed skin, his nose covered with freckles, slight dimples, and soft eyebrows. _Why is he staring,_ she wondered, awestruck by his lingering gaze. But, if she was to tell herself the truth, she didn't mind that he stared. Not in the slightest.

"Sam." The boy shook his wavy hair, as though in a trance. A soft sigh escaped Elsa's lips. Sam moved over to the General, hiding a blush. _Don't give her away,_ she thought to herself. _Just be glad she hasn't been caught yet. _"Highest in class, I reward onto you the responsibility to watch over your men and your people with the utmost honor and diligence," the General stated, going through the speech all highest-ranking graduates received. "With responsibility comes respect. I bestow upon you the title of General in the Defence Rank. May you forever follow your gut, wit, and perseverance." I'm going to be a soldier, her innards screamed. Finally! After following her comrades, standing in her new position and listening to the Captain's graduation, the knighting began. Sam left the line first, kneeling before the King as he drew his blade.

"Sam of Arendelle, I knight thee as General of the Defense Rank." As the King lowered the blade, Sam learned of the King's disapproval of the situation. The sword cut through the uniform and slashed into her shoulder. A drop of blood flowed towards her neck and onto her collar bone. She didn't flinch. He didn't apologise. Next was Halvdan, you was spared the blade's edge. As was every cadet after her.

Elsa saw the blood rolling down the General's collar bone. Everyone did. Even the boy after him watched his General carefully, and then her father's blade, as he kneeled. This other boy walked away, unscathed. So did the next. And the next. That's when Elsa realised the cut was on purpose. _I'll settle this when this is over,_ Elsa swore, watching the other boys walk up, kneel, accept the words.

_Elsa._ The Princess sighed. Her Conscious was kicking in again. _You will do no such thing._

_He cut that boy. On purpose!_

_If the child isn't complaining, let it go. The General can handle-_

_I won't let this continue. _

_Neither will the General. Or the Captain. They all saw what happened and will chide him for his behavior._

_But there's no punishment in words-_

_So you plan on executing a punishment? A thirteen-year-old girl?_

_I'm the Princess!_

_And he's the King as well as your father. If you knew what was good for you, you would go back up to your room. Immediately. _

_But I have to stop this!_

_And you think your words will change his mind instead of theirs? Calm down. Go back to your chambers and think about this before you confront him-_

_I'm sick and tired of waiting my life out in my room. Today I'm making a stand._

_Today is the worst day imaginable for you to make a stand. Save this for tomorrow at least._

_No!_

_Damn you're stubborn. Please, for once, listen to me. Think about your actions- _The last of the boys was called and the King gave his final words. "You brave young souls will carry us forward, writing your own chapters in Arendellian history. Never forget this moment where you swore to be honest, courageous, and chivalrous."

"That's a lot coming from you." _Dammit Elsa why couldn't you listen to me!_ The King spun wildly towards the pillars where his daughter stood.

"Elsa! What are you doing down here? You should be in your room-"

"I wanted to look at the men putting their lives on the line for me. Is that too much to ask?" _Elsa, go. Now. Before things escalade-_

"Elsa, how many times have I told you to stay upstairs-"

"I'm tired of being locked away!" The room was as silent as her room. Not one whisper floated in the air as everyone's piercing eyes, including Sam's, were on her. "I want to live my own life, Dad. Every day these men run out, fighting the bad guys so we can live our normal lives, and I'm not allowed to see them once? Everyone else does, including you. I want to see Mom for more than five minutes a day. I want to play with my sister again. And I want to stop my Dad from becoming the monster these men are sworn to protect! You purposefully cut that boy with your sword, I saw it!"

"Your Highness," Sam said light heartedly in her faked-Guard tone, trying to hide the fear that was burning her insides. "You are mistaken. When His Royal Majesty placed the sword on my shoulder, my body twitched at the feeling of the foreign object. This is just a misunderstanding, a mistake I'm sure many of you made when the incident occurred-"

"Then why wouldn't he stop to apologise or see if you were alright? He didn't even pause to clean the blade." _Shut up, Elsa! I'm trying to save your behind!_

_From what? The truth? You're not doing anything, you're just my Conscious. You shut up!_

"He couldn't break tradition, of course! Your Highness, if I may be blunt, you've never witnessed one of these gatherings before-"

"And you have? How many times have you graduated, General?" Boys chuckled behind the new General at the Princess' remark. "Last time I checked, Guards didn't come to multiple graduations."

"But the Captain is still here and I don't believe this is his first rodeo." Elsa smiled. _He's smart. I like that._

_Go to your room._

_No. I'm having too much fun arguing._

"Then why did he look just as horrified as everyone else did when you were cut?" Sam stood there, silent, a closed-lip grin spreading from cheek to cheek. "And why, may I ask," the Princess continued, waltzing down the stairs, "would you defend the man who harmed you?" The youth put fist over heart in a salute.

"I've sworn to protect every citizen of Arendelle, including you and your father. I'm doing as I have promised."

"So you're lying." Now beaming, Sam raised four fingers into the air from the earlier fist.

"Guard's Honor. Never snitch, never cheat, always protect-"

"Without a doubt," the rest of the room chanted, including the Captain and Bryon. Sam winked at the girl. Elsa froze.

"That's enough," the King growled, grabbing his daughter and dragging her away. Elsa still stared at Sam and realised just how lonely she would be without him.

Sam never knew what the castle's dungeon walls felt like. Especially on her face. That was until the King punched her into one. "Stay away from my daughter, you bitch."

"Wow we are aggressive today, aren't we?"

"I put you in the Guard so you would be occupied with other matters than her-"

"No matter how much you distract me, I'm still her Guardian. She's still my number one priority." She stood, flipping her hair back to see could see the man clearly. "For such a skinny man, you pack quite a punch. I'm impressed," Sam growled sarcastically, rubbing her jaw.

"You leave her alone or you'll feel just how much power I can put behind that kick."

"Oh, I'm scared John, truly. I'm shaking in my boots."

"How did you make it to General?"

"Bryon owed me a favor. I asked him to teach me how to rank. And now I have just as much control over the Guards as your crones. You let me do my job, I'll let you do yours." Another blow from the King knocked Sam to the ground. She spat the blood in her mouth onto the prison floor. Slowly the General rose to her feet. "You're lucky I don't believe in hitting girls."

"Get out. I never want to see you again."

"Give me Elsa and it's a deal. Otherwise, while you're beating me like a man, I plan on drinking like one." Sam snagged the flash from the King's waist, drained it, threw it to the ground, and marched out of the cell.


	21. Past: Chapter XVI

Past

Chapter XVI

Elsa lay in bed that night, tossing and turning. She couldn't sleep, not with that boy Sam on her mind. He was a dream, almost an allusion, too good to be true. Funny, intelligent, a complete smart ass, Elsa day dreamed about spending lazy hours discussing just about everything, he contradicting her arguments, she being mesmerized by his presence. She imagined his full lips combining words with his lustful deep voice, spinning language between his calloused fingertips. Her room became a soft summer day, bed transforming into the top of a hill where they sat enjoying an afternoon together.

"I really don't understand why you enjoy these trips," she joust, twisting a dandelion between her nails.

"How couldn't I? Especially since you make such juicy chicken-"

"Actually that was Frau Marie. I can't cook."

"Well give that woman my gratitude and the day off the next time we sneak out. I'll have to bring you a real treat."

"You, General, can cook?"

"Of course. Someone had to learn how. I was getting tired of burnt rabbit all the time." She giggled, turning to stare fully into his handsome face.

"I'd like that." Her feet tangled in the grass as she thought of how to bring up what was really on her mind. "So you like being a General?"

"Have you ever seen a General be unhappy?" She punched him playfully, turning onto her back to see the royal blue sky.

"You must have many privileges with that title at such a young age."

"Mostly the privileges bestowed onto every man. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I guess I'm trying to ask, I mean...you've been with other women?" Sam lay down beside her, turning to rest his hardened yet gentle hand on her cheek.

"Do you think I'm seeing someone else?" Elsa glanced at him cautiously. "My dearest Elsa, why would you ever assume that? I'm yours and I don't plan on being anyone elses. Not until you no longer have a purpose for me, and even then I will be here."

"Oh Sam," she cried, grabbing him and holding him close. "I'll always be yours."

"Your Highness?" The hill was gone along with the summer sky, the grass between her toes, and the General at her side. Instead she had her bed, a snowy night, blankets covering her, a pillow in her arms. "Your Highness?" She sighed, accepting reality as she opened the door.

"Yes Marcus?" He held his silver Arendelle helmet in his hands, playing with it nervously.

"I apologise for earlier this evening. I never should have snuck you-"

"It was my decision, and it wasn't your fault I snapped. I was meaning to thank you for the experience, actually."

"But I got you in trouble!"  
"I put myself in trouble. Now you run along with your peers and celebrate your graduation." Marcus smiled sheepishly, his crooked front tooth showing from behind his purple lips. As he started to leave, Elsa called back to him, "Congrats, Marcus."

"Oh what succulent chicken this is, Your Highness," Tanner teased, dancing on his tip toes in front of the table. The boys roared with laughter, minus their new General and the one who told of Elsa's earlier statements.

"Guys, stop it. I was just pointing out how adorable it was and you had to go in and ruin it-"

"You know, I'll have to treat you to one of my delicacies."

"But, oh goodness gracious," Roger prompted, making his voice hit soprano notes no boy could have thought possible. "A big, strong man such as yourself couldn't possibly know how to cook-"

"Alas, I had to save my innards from rotting flesh and burnt rodent as were staples in the Guard."

"How very brave," Roger sighed, faking a faint into Marcus' arms. "Makes me swoon just thinking about it."

"Let the girl have her silly romances," Sam grumbled. Roger ran to his comrade, sitting in his lap daintifully.

"Oh Sam! Could _you_ make me one of your delicacies?" His hand daintifully rubbed the General's chest. "It would mean the _world_ to me."

"Sure thing darling," Tanner said in his usual voice, flagging Roger over. Roger trotted over, pretending to be wearing fancy shoes while preparing to sit in Tanner's lap. "I'll make you pigs in a blanket. I'll bring the sausage, you bring the dough," Tanner said with a laugh, spanking Roger's behind. Roger brought two dainty hands to his lips, faking a stunned reaction.

"Tanner, oh we couldn't-"

"You're both pigs. I hope you know that." Tanner smiled wolfishly at Sam.

"We know." Sam kicked his chair as she processed what he meant, Tanner receiving claps on the back of his shoulder. "So, since Roger is a fantastic performer," Tanner paused, allowing Roger to bow and receive his applause, "and I am just naturally charming," whistling echoed through the tavern as Tanner waved them off, "I would like to know how ye gentlemen win your maidens."

"I'm not playing this game." Marcus took a deep swig of his ale, refusing to look at Tanner.

"But you're the one who loves these conversations! C'mon-"

"If the man doesn't want to play, he doesn't want to play," Halvdan said, taking a drink.

"Well why don't you start us off then right-hand man?" Whistles and cheers echoed from around the warm tavern as Halvdan, reluctantly, nodded. "There's a good sport. Here, we must have a volunteer-Miss? Madame? Fair maiden," Tanner called to a serving girl cleaning off a table to the far right of him. The brunette sighed as she walked over to the table.

"You lads need another drink," she asked in her deep Arendellian accent. Her rustic voice and long, flowing brown hair and deep, chocolate eyes made her the perfect choice for their test.

"What do you think, boys?" The Guards caused an uproar, the cacophony of screams, cheers, cries, and banging tables confirmed the choice of woman as acceptable. "We might in a minute sweetheart but for now I need you for an experiment."

"Oh really?"

"A scientific breakthrough, if you will. We men, as the primitive beasts we are, are searching for the answer to all men's agony: what enchants a woman? We wish for you to be our subject."

"I'd be honored m'lord."

"Excellent. Now Halvdan, I insist you start us off."

"No thank you."

"What? Is she not worthy of your praise and plunder? Fancy her and show us how it's done." With a heavy sigh, Halvdan led the girl to stand in front of him, taking her hands in his.

"What is your name dear?"

"Hannah."

"Hannah? A very pretty name." Halvdan looked around the room nervously as some Guards booed in the crowd.

"Get on with it," one cried.

"You can't rush perfection,": Halvdan replied, rubbing Hannah's hands with his thumb. "Now, sweet Hannah, there are multiple theories we men must test in order to conclude which is the most effective."

"And which theory are we testing today Halvdan?"

"Well Hannah, I will be taking this said approach. I believe all people, man and woman alike, are physical. Society is what we have when we cannot express ourselves through our bodies in actions such as dance and-" Halvdan grabbed Hannah around the waist, dipping her, and kissed her passionately. Whoops and hollers responded to his sudden action and, as soon as it had started, it was ended. "-kissing." He lightly kissed Hannah's cheek as he sat down in his wooden chair once more.

"I wish we had shared theories earlier my friend for I, too, believe in the physicality of words."

"How do you mean Tanner?"

"Let's just say, " the rascal answered, pulling Hannah into his lap, "I've also shared a physical connection with this pretty lady." She playfully fought Tanner away, but was defeated as he kissed her on the neck.

"You slept with her? That gives you bias!"

"Hense why I chose her. I don't plan on losing, Halvdan. And now we turn to Marcus-"  
"I told you I'm not playing."

"Hey, more likely I'll win. And you Roger?"

"I would take your bet and would probably win but, alas my poor chap, I'm terrified of pretty women. Had you grabbed me a hag, I would greatly oblige."

"A forfeit nonetheless. Which leads us to our General-"

"I'm not getting in the middle of this chaos you've created, Tanner. You may count me out."

"And let me win? Well I cannot complain-"

"Sam," Halvdan cried, "you can't let him win! Not again! Remember last time?"

"When he strutted around like a rooster who had just been castrated?"

"I can't live through that again, Sam. We need you. What were the words you swore to this very day? Lead your men into battle with utmost honor and diligence. May you always follow your gut, wit, and perseverance. We need you now, General." She is a pretty girl, Sam thought, contemplating the idea. But it doesn't matter how pretty she is! I'm not doing it! Then again, this isn't about her. It's about putting Tanner in his place, and if I don't, who will? I am the General. This might be a stupid way to prove that, but dammit I'm in charge.

"I must be out of my mind," the General complained to no one in particular, putting the flask on the table and walking over to the girl. Sam silenced the crowd, who was making more noise than previously that evening, as the General began to speak. "My dearest Hannah, a theory these men lack is the persuasion of words with actions. It is not the action that brings love; rather, it is the justification for those actions with beauty from a lover's lips and the actions of love in itself that prove a man's worth." Sam knelt before the woman, who was staring wide-eyed at the guard before her. "'Out of the rolling ocean the crowd came a drop gently to me, Whispering, I love you, before long I die, I have travell'd a long way merely to look on you to touch you, For I could not die till I once look'd on you, For I fear'd I might afterward lose you. Now we have met, we have look'd, we are safe, Return in peace to the ocean my love, I too am part of that ocean, my love, we are not so much separated, Behold the great rondure, the cohesion of all, how perfect! But as for me, for you, the irresistible sea is to separate us, As for an hour carrying us diverse, yet cannot carry us diverse forever; Be not impatient – a little space – know you I salute the air, the ocean and the land, Every day at sundown for your dear sake, my love.'"

"That was beautiful," she girl stammered as Sam smiled, placing another hand atop of the girl's.

"Much like yourself, heart flowing like the ocean tide." Sam kissed the woman's hand and rose, moving her left hand to the girl's face and rubbing her cheek. Hannah sighed nervously, her body trembling under the General's touch. And then she was pulled away by Tanner's clutch. Sam smiled, going back to the vacant seat.

"So, after that bit of awkwardness," Tanner said, giving Sam weird looks, "whose theory is most accurate?"

"His," she answered with no hesitation, pointing to Sam. Halvdan rolled his eyes.

"What? But we slept together. Don't you think-"

"You didn't recite poetry," Hannah argued, staring at the blond. Sam could feel her gaze and, knowing she would blush soon from her own shame, sought refuge in her cup.

"Classic Whitman," Halvdan spat half-heartedly. "I expected better from you."

"Ditto my friend. You of all people would use romantic gestures and words to do your bidding. And don't pull that 'silly Whitman' card with me. You know him just as well as I do. Hell, you love Shakespeare! You could have recited one of his many sonnets."

"You act like the average poet memorizes Shakespeare-"

"'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day, thou art more lovely and more temperate," Sam began, looking deeply into Hannah's eyes. "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,and often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, by chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,when in eternal lines to time thou grow'st. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.'" Sam looked back at Halvdan. "Iambic pentameter. Easy rhythm and rhyme scheme. Easy to memorize."

"That was beautiful."

"Go back to what you were doing," Tanner insisted as he pushed Hannah off his lap. She sighed, finishing cleaning up after the guards, refilling their glasses, and staring at Sam for the rest of the evening.

Trying to change the subject, Sam looked to Marcus, who was steaming at his table. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Nodding, Sam finished the ale and turned back to her friend.

"You never did tell us whom she was daydreaming about-"

"She never mentioned a name."

"Oh. Well, if you ever learn it, let us know." A group of guards surrounded Sam, asking about other poems they could use to woo women. As Sam listen poem after poem, Marcus had his glass refilled and drained. He knew exactly who Elsa had a crush on, but he wasn't going to let Sam know that. He was furious; he had watched over the Princess this entire year, and now that fair Sam had one encounter with him, she was madly in love with him. He hated Sam for being the way he was, getting any woman he chose with a snap of his fingers while he, Marcus, loyal and strong, had nothing. Sam was nothing! Sam was a twig! Yet the kid managed to become a General. He hated that he couldn't rank as fast as Sam, couldn't think as fast as Sam, couldn't be like Sam. He glared into his mug, taking another deep drink.


	22. Past Chapter XVII

Past

Chapter XVII

Elsa dreamt about the Guard again. They were back on top of that lonely hill, but no words were spoken. He just held her against his chest, his arms wrapped around her midsection. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed, enjoying the warm afternoon. She felt his hair brushing against her neck as he pressed his nose against her head. Her legs were stretched along his, dress lying on uniform, toes curled around boots. He sighed, the rumble vibrating through his chest, causing her to sigh with him. The sun on their faces, the summer breeze blowing their hair gently, his warm breath tickling her ear-

She woke up, startled. Something in the hallway broke, one of the pieces of shattered glass sliding underneath her door. Elsa gasped, hearing footsteps echoing down the hall. She had learned to distinguish certain types of people from their footsteps from being stuck in her room for five years. She figured the footsteps belonged to a large male, recklessly searching for something. For what she couldn't tell.

The Princess quietly slipped on her fuzzy blue slippers, listening to the stranger in the hall. He wasn't a man who knew the castle well, but he did seem to know that what he wanted was within the fifteen foot region he was searching. _Is he a Guard,_ Elsa wondered. _No one else would know where to look for anything, and a thief would have stolen anything he could get his hands on. It has to be a Guard._ Calmed by her thoughts, the Princess sighed and opened the door, figuring she could help the Guard in his search.

_It is a Guard_, her mind screamed, elated. Huge, the hulking man looked awkward as he cautiously opened door after door as though trying not to wake anyone, even though anyone and anything that could have been disturbed by his interruption was already informed of his presence from his thundering footsteps and loud voice. "Hello," he attempted to whisper. It came out more like a screech. Elsa giggled at the sight of this giant teddy bear of a man attempting to be quiet. At the sound of her giggle, the man jump-turned much like a man would react if touched by a spirit.

"What are you looking for?"

"Your Highness," he stammered, starting to sweat. "You shouldn't be up at this hour."

"Everyone calls me Elsa and it's hard to sleep with you walking around." The Guard started to blush. She giggled again. "You seem to be looking for something. Do you need help?"

"Actually, um...no no you're supposed to be awake-"

"Why so tense, oh brave soldier?" He dug the toe of his boot into the floor, blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Aw shucks Your Highness, you don't needa flatter littl' ol' me." He smiled a little longer, but then it faded. "You're not supposed to be up," he said carefully again.

"Why does it matter if I'm awake or not? Is something wrong?" He couldn't look her in the eye. He played with a large brown bag in his hands and glanced up at her occasionally.

"Go back to sleep Your Highness. It's alright, everything is fine." A strange chill ran down Elsa's spine at the sound of his voice.

"You sure?"

"Positive." Slightly disturbed, Elsa turned and headed back to her bedroom, listening to the man behind her. Suddenly, a darkness covered her as she was lifted off the ground.

"What are you doing," she screeched, the Guard's strong arms constraining her.

"Sorry Your Highness, but orders are orders-"

"Put me down! Help! Help! Somebody please-"

"There's no need for that. Quiet, please. I can't-"

"HELP!"

"Quiet," the man pleaded, carrying her down the hall.

"Why are you doing this? Let me go!"

"I don't got no choice. I'm real sorry, Else, really. I'm real sorry. Just be quiet, okay?"

"Why the long face, Marcus?" Marcus refused to face his General.

"Nothing."

"You're a horrible liar."

"Well I'm not willing to discuss the issue thank you very much."

"Woah woah woah," Tanner jumped in, a woman on each of his shoulders and a drink in each hand. "What's this all about? We're all friends here!"

"Not in the mood, Tanner."

"It's okay to have fun once in a blue moon! Am I right?" The tavern exploded with cheers. Sam smiled warily, watching Marcus.

"I've noticed this behavior starting after our graduation ceremony," Sam mentioned cautiously, taking a drink and acting worry-free as Marcus turned sharply to look at the blond. "Has something from that event troubled you?"

"No," Marcus grumbled, turning back to his lonely table and empty flask.

"Something about family? A friend, maybe?"

"I noticed Theo wasn't here," Tanner interrupted again. He was starting to sway and his eyes were unnaturally dilated, but something the drunkard said brought attention to Sam. She was starting to wonder why she felt itchy and trapped…

"That is weird. Where do you think he is?" Halvdan walked over to his friends to join the conversation. Sam's eyes started to widen.

"Oh God," the General gasped, dropping his cup and running for the door.

"General. General! Where doth our General run," Tanner slurred as Halvdan and Roger followed. Marcus refused to join them.

"Help! I'm being taken!"

"I ain't gonna hurt you, honest. I want nothin' to do with this, Else. Please be quiet now-"

"No! I will not be quiet! Release me at once!"

"Orders are orders, Else. I'm sorry-"

"If you were sorry you would put. Me. DOWN!" The Princess thrashed and fought her kidnapper to no prevail. The bulk of a man was too much for her; he was just too strong for the thirteen-year-old to fight off. She thought of an idea. _It's stupid, but I can try,_ she thought. "Sir, please, I...I have to pee."

"Well that's not good. Pee pee is important," the man agreed, moving to lift her off his shoulders. "Let's get you to the bathroom, though I don't know where they are in the castle. Maybe when I get you to the location they'll have one-"

"I live in this castle. I'm sure I can find one," she replied softly, trying to stay calm.

"Silly me! Of course you do! You're the Princess. Haha, won't the guys get a laugh out of that? Thinking the Princess Else couldn't find a bathroom." The Guard sat her on the ground and moved the bag off her head. "You go find a potty and I'll follow ya. I can't have you running off though. Orders are orders, after all." She smiled at him, waiting for him to stand up straight so she could kick at his shins and run. But he didn't. Instead he just leaned over her, a stupid, silly grin on his face.

"Got it," she said at last, deciding to lead him to a bathroom. _What do I do? What do I do? This man wants to kill me!_ She found the nearest bathroom which, conveniently, had a window. _That's it!_ "So, I'm just gonna step in here and do my business and...and, um...I'm be out in a moment."

"I understand," he nodded violently. "You gotta do what you gotta do. Don't wanna deliver you with a messy dress now, would we?"

"No. Of course not." _Is he just playing with me or is he really this stupid?_ Elsa closed the door and, after locking it, sighed in relief. "That shouldn't have worked," she muttered to herself, going to the window. She unlatched it and pushed the window open, feeling the light breeze flow through the small, loose strands of hair from her braid. It was a long way down, but as she observed the ancient grey stones, she decided she could climb down them with no trouble at all.

"Halt!" Elsa gasped. She listened to the talking outside but she couldn't distinguish who was talking and what they were saying. Outside, she heard horses down below. _If I could just reach the stables…_ Elsa turned around and started heading down the castle wall.

"Halt," Sam cried, pulling out her sword. Theo stood outside a bathroom door, his soft, brown eyes practically bulging out of his skull. "Theo? What are you doing here?"

"I, um, uh...uh, well, um, I, uh, I'm...delivering the Princess," he stammered, playing with a large brown bag in his hands. I was just as Sam feared.

"I see. And why are you waiting outside a bathroom."

"The Princess Else was using the bathroom."

"Elsa," Sam corrected out of habit. Theo smiled slightly. Shaking her head, Sam continued, "Why do you have the bag?"

"The bag? Oh this bag! Well, um-"

"And whom are you delivering Elsa to? Does she consent to this arrangement?"

"Well, she doesn't exactly know who I'm taking her to. But it's supposed to be a surprise! Orders are orders. I'm not allowed to tell anyone." Sam sighed, fearing the worst.

"Theo, as your General, I'm ordering you to tell me who your orders are coming from." He seemed exceptionally fascinated with the tile at that point, rolling his foot to and fro as he thought of a response. He finally sighed in defeat.

"I'm sorry General but orders are orders-"

"I'm giving you orders-"

"The person who told me to do this is higher rank than you! I don't have a choice-"

"What does the person want-"

"I don't know, okay! I'm doing this because I was told to. He said he'd hurt Ma if I ever snitched. Guard's honor-"

"Who's he?"

"Guard's honor!"

"Theo, the Princess hasn't agreed to go with you, has she?" Theo's eyes fell to the floor again. "That's what the bag is for, isn't it?" He nodded slowly.

"I won't lie to ya Sam, but I can't tell you who he is. Else knows him well, I promise! I swear, Sam-" The General let her hand swing down in defeat, unwilling yet forced to do what was right.

"Theo Genson, you are under arrest for attempting to kidnap the Princess of Arendelle and high treason. Halvdan," she turned to his petrified friend. "Seize him."

"Yes sir," Halvdan replied coldly, putting cuffs on Theo's wrists.

"Did you honestly think she would go with you," Sam asked in disbelief to one of her best friends as he was being arrested.

"No. That's why she went to the bathroom. She thinks I'm stupid and that she could run away from gettin' outta the window."

"Any you're okay with letting her go?"

"No. Orders are orders; she cannot get away. That's why the other fellas are outside the window, waitin' for her."

The horses weren't in the stables. They were being used by hooded men, who grabbed Elsa as soon as she was in arm's length. They hid in the bushes as she came down so she couldn't see them. "Let me go!"

"Can't do that precious," an older man hissed, his scarred eye staring at her, the other eye blackened from God knows what.

"The boy did well. Now let's finish the job."

"Yeah. Leave him to deal with his Guard friends." The goons chuckled maniacally, throwing her into another bag.

"You won't get away with this!"

"Isn't that what everyone in distress says?" The hooded men laughed again, turning their horses around.

"She's right," she heard a man say, stopping the criminals.

"Help!"

"Kill the swine," the black-eye cackled. "And send the body to the fjord. Let nobody see the evidence."

"No! Please, help!" She heard swords clashing against one another, slashes against flesh, and men falling to the ground.

"Imbeciles." The black-eyed jumped off his horse to fight, letting Elsa fall to the ground. She wiggled herself free from the bag but failed with the rope around her wrists. She fought, tugged, bit, cursed, yet nothing seemed to help. "Ah!" She raised to see the black-eye fall on his face and stumble back to his feet. "You won't get that lucky again, boy."

"I'm not a boy," the Guard growled, pointing his sword at the villan. But it wasn't any Guard. It was the General of the twenty-seventh regiment.

"Sam," Elsa sighed, forgetting the ropes as she watched her love in awe. With a hair-flipping thrust, Sam lunged at black-eye and blocked the next move. Sword against sword, the battle ended with Sam quickly dispatching the man with a slit throat, giving the villain the grace to fall on his own accord. Blood only touched the tip of his dirty-blond bangs, which ran down his cheek and dried as he walked over to the Princess.

"You're amazing," she stammered. The General chuckled. "Your blade is wonderful. Does it have a name?"

"Afraid not. I'm not the kind for attachment in the form of names."

"May I?" Sam smiled, eyes twinkling.

"If it pleases you." Elsa thought a moment, but only a moment.

"Adam."

"Adam?" The General raised the blade to the moonlight, examining it. "Yes, I do believe Adam fits. Adam it is." With one swift flick of the wrist, Sam caught the blade in the left hand, offering the right to the Queen. Elsa, bewildered, looked at her wrists. She was free.

"You're very good with a sword," she praised, taking the Guard's hand.

"And it's a good thing too, otherwise this evening could have ended very badly." Once she was standing, Sam grabbed Elsa by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. Elsa felt her knees starting to tremble. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she wheezed. God, she could hardly breathe! And those damned eyes-

"Sam is everything-" but the other Guards rushing to the scene went silent, seeing the massacre of ten men in front of them. Blood pooled around their shoes, making it impossible to pass without stains.

"Here," the youth grumbled, lifting the Princess off the ground. Elsa gasped and stared at Sam. "Don't need your feet dirty too." _That's hot,_ she couldn't help but think to herself. _And it's a good thing he picked me up. Otherwise I would have fallen from my stupid knees. God he's beautiful- _"Elsa?"

"Hum? Were you saying something?" The General smiled softly.

"You're tired. Perhaps you can give me the story after a long night's sleep." _With you?_

"Um, yeah, that sounds great," she stammered, not knowing where that idea had come from. Sam carried her all the way to her bedroom (after he had taken his blood-soaked shoes off, of course) and laid her on her bed.

"Goodnight Your Highness." As she settled for bed, the General saluted and bowed elegantly. She couldn't help the admiring shiver that ran through her.

"Goodnight Sam."


	23. Past Chapter XVIII

Past

Chapter XVIII

"How does the girl feel about you?"

"She likes me," Sam yelled, pacing in the tent. Jake leaned over the sofa, listening to his lover's conundrum. "She likes me, of all people! She couldn't have just _fallen_ for a guy!"

"She thinks you're a guy. That's why she fell for you in the first place-"

"Doesn't make it acceptable, Jake! Oh," she sighed, falling into Jake's lap. "Lord, what am I to do?" She hummed delightfully as Jake stroked her hair lustfully.

"I'm not really sure. But I do know how to help you unravel." Sam smiled as Jake, jokingly wiggling his eyebrows, kissed her. She let his tongue taste her for the thousandth time, taking comfort in the familiarity of his touch, smell, feeling, everything. He pulled her into his arms, resting her back against his chest, his head on her head. He sighed deeply, covering her with soft kisses.

"But I have to make a report. The Princess was almost kidnapped this evening if you haven't heard."

"Seems odd that Theo would do it though."

"Doesn't it?" She propped herself on her elbows, looking at him. "He said that, 'orders are orders' and that the person telling him to do this was 'of higher rank' than me. Who do you think he was talking about? And someone powerful enough to hurt his mother? So strange-"

"Maybe it was a test?"

"For what? And I can't keep looking at you like this. It's killing my neck." He chuckled, sitting her up and rubbing her neck. "You're amazing."

"You need a Chiropractor."

"They only have those in the Gregorian Realm and I can't leave now that Elsa has a threat. Question is why?" Sam stood and moved to the kitchen table, sitting with piles of paper, quill, and ink in hand. "I hate using quills. Can't we just bring pens over from the other realm?"

"You're going to do all of that tonight?"

"While the event is fresh in my mind-"

"With a quill that will take you hours!"

"It would take me hours with a pen. Go to bed."

"You're too stubborn."

"So are you." The Guard winked at her partner as he rolled his eyes and headed for bed.

"Oh! Exciting news!" She sat down her quill. "I got a job today."

"Oh?"

"At the bakery. I'll be helping with their loads." She smiled warily.

"Just save time for writing. I'm happy you got the job but-"

"I don't need to write-"

"Yes you do. It's your passion. Just like I have a passion for pointy objects like swords and knifes that can cut my enemies."

"Make sure I never get on your bad side."

"I don't think you could if you tried."

"My writing was never that good anyway."

"Say you! I love your writing. You're very grandiloquent."

"Nice lexicon."

"Thank you. I learned from the best."

"You love my writing because you love me."

"I love your writing because I love reading good literature-"

"You're biased."

"That's what winners need to win. Cheaters and bias."

"Very romantic."

"Indeed."

"You're the only person who's read my writing."

"See? A one hundred percent approval rating." Jake kissed Sam softly as he smiled at her. "And I never said I loved you."

"How long have we been together?"

"92...3 days?"

"942 now."

"Oh I see."

"Said the blind man." She chuckled as we went to bed. "Goodnight beautiful."

"Goodnight darling."


	24. Past: Chapter XIX

Past

Chapter XIX

He paced in the cell, livid. _How could this fail? I chose the most loyal, idiotic, kind-hearted Guard known to Arendelle. The boy would die for me! And to send the number one thief in the nine kingdoms...how could this have gone wrong? It was to ruin that General's reputation, not improve it! _He sighed at the sound of clanging keys and shouting.

"I was just doing as I was told! Please, I didn't mean for-"

"Shut up!" They threw his apprentice Theo into the prison.

"I didn't mean to hurt her! Is she alright? I was ordered to! Not a single hair harmed. Orders." _Precisely. Precisely right. Not a hair was to be harmed. _Next time he would have to be more careful.


	25. Past: Chapter XXI

Past

Chapter XXI

Elsa thanked the Guards as they left, the one in the golden helmet lingering behind with the speaker. "Watch has begun," the blue eyed youth announced over his shoulder, meaning it for the remaining Guard than anyone else. Minutes later, the Guard excused himself with a rumble and left. "My sincerest apologies, Your Highness-"

"So when is Sam going to tell me he's the one wearing the helmet?" The boy was taken aback, his eyes bulging.

"I don't know what you're-"

"It's not like it was hard to find out. How stupid do you men really think I am?" He smiled.

"Not at all, Your Highness. That's why Sam tried to hide it."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means only you, I, and the rest of the twenty-seventh defensive squadron are the only ones who know about Sam. He's the one leading the investigation and if he's ever discovered, our cover is broken and we'll never find the people who wanted you captured."

"What's the helmet got to do with anything?"

"Shh!" He looked over at Maud, pushing the Princess in the opposite direction. "This information could save or end Arendelle so I would prefer not discussing it in front of any living soul. Not even her. Or your father."

"That serious?"

"Sam thinks those men wanted you dead. He also believes those men were hired by an inside source. How else would a man who had never been in the castle before know where your bedroom was? The helmet is just to keep them at bay, whether that's through fear, intimidation, or inconvenience. That's why no one can know what's going on. Do you understand?" Elsa nodded.

"Yes Halvdan, I understand."

"How do you know my-"

"Sam left you with me. Alone. And you're not Marcus or the head General, so you're either Halvdan or Roger. Plus I remember going into your father's shop. I witnessed you getting that scar you have over your brow." Halvdan touched the indent he had above his left eyebrow. "Horse, right?"

"Yeah. Got skittish."

"Knocked you out for three days. My father let you stay here. I remember because all Anna did was stare at you while you were unconscious."

"I could have lived without that information." She giggled.

"Does Sam have any idea as to who tried to kidnap me?"

"Only an inside source." Elsa nodded, turning back to Maud.

"Will she be safe?"

"Everyone in this castle will be heavily guarded until the culprit is discovered." The Princess sighed and followed the Guard solemnly back to the chef.

Maud eyed Elsa carefully. "Everything alright?"

"Just peachy, Mrs. Birch. Just peachy."


	26. Past: Chapter XXII

"So why do you figure there's an inside source?"

"Because how else would our beloved fool know where to find Elsa? Her bedroom is secluded, only known by certain members of the staff, family, and myself." Jake sighed into his lover's hair as she doodled on the parchment paper.

"You should have become an artist."

"Yes, because thought blobs are perceived as art."

"I think so."

"I think you're exceptionally horny and banking on compliments to get me into bed with you."

"Is it working?" Sam sighed putting the quill down.

"Look, I can't be getting distracted with this case. I have to figure this out before it's too late."

"One night won't kill you-"

"But it might kill her." Jake stepped away from Sam as she twirled her short hair irritably.

"We haven't had sex in weeks."

"You were stuck at the bakery for weeks cooking for the soldiers' feast and now I have a serious crime on my hands. Besides, relationships aren't about having sex all the time, Jake-"

"But it doesn't hurt-"

"Jake, I'm not sleeping with you until this crime is solved. That's the end of it!" The tent went silent, Jake's frustration fuming out of him, Sam's weariness seeping into her. "Just...please give me time to figure this out. You know I have to put her first...plus, the more I concentrate on this, the less time we spend away from one another." Sam heard the old couch sigh with Jake's weight added to it. She didn't turn to look at him as he grumbled under his breath, turning this way or that on the worn out piece of furniture. "Jake, what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm sleeping on the couch. You said you weren't-"

"For God's sake, Jake!" Sam flew out of her seat, storming off into the tiny bedroom area. Jake watched as his lover threw her uniforms and paper into a large sack.

"What are you doing?"

"Letting you muddle over your own problems!" A halo of hair bounced around her inflamed face as tears ran down her cheeks. "Obviously you're pouting over not being intimate and that kind of behavior isn't going to help either of the two of us. What I meant by 'not sleeping with you' was I wasn't going to have sex with you because of all the time I was putting into the case and being so stressed out, not forcing you to move to the damn couch. If this is how you're going to behave, then I want out of this place! I will not tolerate such immaturity from you or anyone else! It was because of my childish actions that I almost got my Kid killed. I will not make that mistake again."

"My immaturity? Are we talking about the same woman who made a tree explode because she was upset that she couldn't have another piece of candy?"

"Jake, I was a child. We're adults now. I expect you to own up to that."

"I expect you to want this relationship! You're the one pushing me away-"

"I'm doing my job! I have to catch these criminals and bring them to justice!"

"And when will that end, hum? Because you're kind of a General now, on track to being Captain of the Guard, and that's kind of your career."

"Exactly Jake! Why can't you understand that?"

"I do! I just don't think you do! Does this mean every time there's a criminal on the loose you're going to give up your life at home?"

"We are Guardians! This is our job!"

"But I know when there's a time to focus on my job and when to focus on the people around me who love me! You don't!"

"And I'm just some heartless workaholic because I won't sleep with you, is that right?"

"There's no point in fighting with you when you're in a bad mood like this-"

"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT PUT ME IN THIS MOOD! YOU STARTED THIS FIGHT!"

"AND NOW I'M FINISHING IT!"

"SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT NEGOTIATOR OF OUR RELATIONSHIP! WOULD RATHER IGNORE OUR PROBLEMS THAN FIX THEM!"

"WELL IF YOU FEEL THAT WAY, WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE?"

"I AM!" Sam closed her worn bag and flung it over her shoulder, practically sobbing. As she exited the tent, she turned and growled, "And don't expect me to come back."

Halvdan watched the golden-helmeted General march back to the camps. It was rare to see Sam at this hour with the Guards, but he wasn't going to complain. He had prolonged his torment long enough: he had to tell his General how he felt about him. This was the second day he couldn't eat nor sleep it was driving him mad. He use to be a sound, sane boy, but this headache of his has tortured him into admiration. He couldn't stop thinking of how he killed those ten men, carried Elsa to her bed chambers, the way he held himself in general. Sam was who he thought about day and night; something had to happen.

In all of Halvdan's confliction of emotion, he never noticed the shuttering of his best friend's shoulders, how Sam's head hung so long. Instead of leaving his General alone as she wanted, the right-hand walked to his General's side.

"Evening, General." Sam didn't was rare for Sam, but Halvdan didn't notice over his own stuttering. "L-listen I-I-I-gotta, uh, talk to you-"

"Not tonight, Halv. I'm exhausted and I only have a few hours before I have to watch over the Princess, so I would like to catch a couple of hours of shut eye if you don't mind."

"Yeah, uh, gr-great thinking! That's why you're the top of the class, right? Haha!" Sam turned when they reached the General's tent. Halvdan couldn't see the worry on Sam's red-rimmed eyes.

"Are you always this unsure of yourself?"

"W-what? What do you mean?"

"You don't sound well. Usually you're fairly confident, but...you seem conflicted or unnerved by something."

"No! Of course not! The right hand to the General can't be nervous about anything!" He could sense Sam's raised eyebrow look.

"Are you a fool? Or are you just stupid? All men get cold feet. I thought of all people you would know that."

"Well, of course! I-I mean...whatever you say, General." Sam sighed in defeat. _Please tell me he isn't nervous over what I think he's nervous about, _she cringed to herself.

"Alright, come in." Halvdan sighed to himself, following the General into the large, spacious tent. "You know," Sam grumbled, setting the bag on the new, crisp leather couch, "It's a pity I've never been in here before now."

"Indeed." Sam, reluctantly, put the helmet on the table and turned to Halvdan closing the tent. The General tried wiping the tears away from under those notorious green eyes, but failed.

With a quiet sniffle, Sam uttered in a faulty voice, "You have three minutes."

"Well Sam, this has been going on for-good God are you alright? What happened?"

"Nothing Halvdan," Sam tried whispering in a masculine voice, swatting away the man's warm hands. Halvdan grabbed Sam's face despite the General's efforts, looking at his best friend intently. "Please continue."

"Not until you tell me whatever is bothering you-"

"I refuse. You have only two minutes."

"I'm not letting this go-"

"You mean my face? I would like you give it back to me sometime. Preferably now."

"You know what I mean-"

"One minute."

"Sam-"

"I am ordering you to tell me what is bothering you-"

"I order the same."

"I am your General."

"And I love you." Halvdan quickly kissed Sam before he would get his friend's retort and ended the moment as soon as it began. "And I will not let this drop because of my feelings for you. Now tell me what's wrong or you might have to deal with me camping out in your tent for the remainder of the night." Sam stared, awestruck at the man who had annoyed, followed, irritated, and befriended her from day one. Awkward silence plagued Halvdan as Sam tried to understand the concept of Halvdan's affections. _But...he thinks I'm a guy...right? Is he gay? Or does he know? Oh God. Seventh year. The forest. I had to share a sleeping bag with him...did he figure it out? Oh hell. I'm done for. This shit. I'm fired. I've lost everything. Title, profession, friends, family, everything. Oh God. He loves me...why? Why? Why? Why? What have I ever done to you to deserve this? I hate you Halvdan! I hate you I hate you I hate you._ "Please say something. Call me a pig, a sicko, a hopeless romantic. Anything, just...just don't stand there, Sam...please?" _Oh God he's begging...oh shit...how do I tell him I'm a girl who just had a huge fight with her boyfriend to a man who has seen me as a man for the last eleven years?_

"Uhh-"

"I know, I know, it's wrong for me to feel this way-" _So he thinks I'm a guy-_ "But that doesn't mean that I don't...I mean, it's weird. I love these little things about you-"

"Halv-"

"-that no guy loves about other guys, like the softness of your skin and, and the color of your eyes-"

"Halv, listen to-"

"No! You listen to me! I have had feelings for you-"

"You're making a scene-"

"-that I've ignored for far too long-"

"Halv, I'm a girl."

"-and these emotions have...wait, what?" Sam sighed, resting her head onto her friend's distraught chest. "Wh-what, but how, you're a General-"

"In the Arendellian Guard that's only allowed to have men-"

"But you were ordered by the King-"

"Which only you and I and a handful of doubtful people remember-"

"So that made it legal-"

"More like he wanted me to commit a serious crime to kick me out of Arendelle."

"But you pretended to be a boy-"

"To be a General-"

"And to watch over Arendelle." Sam looked into Halvdan's piercing blue eyes for...well...anything. She was nervous, terrified beyond belief, of what he was going to say next.

"...well? What do you think?"

Silence. Then:

"I'm so damn happy you're a girl." He hugged Sam, swinging her skinny body in his arms as he twirled the two of them in the tent.

"Halv, please put me down." The man was sobbing into her hair at this point.

"I thought I was gay!"

"You kinda might be, dude."

"But it was all an act!"

"You fell in love with a guy. Doesn't matter if I lied about it."

"I do love you!"

"Please stop saying that." Halvdan hugged Sam even closer, raising her higher into the air.

"I could kiss you!"

"You already have. Now please put me down-"

"I've never been so happy in my entire life-"

"Halvdan," Sam said coldly, "put me down this instant."

"I'm just so happy!" Sam was above Halvdan's head now, spinning high above the ground.

"Halvdan, please," she squeaked. The spinning stopped. Halvdan lightly put Sam down.

"You...you sounded like a girl."

"Funny how that works, since I am one." She straightened her uniform with a huff, not realizing she had dropped her fake masculine tone.

"Why did you want me to put you down," Halvdan asked in a monotone voice. He was shocked; Sam actually looked quite feminine, especially with her corset strap showing through her untidy white shirt underneath the green uniform.

"Halv, you know how I'm not a fan of being above the ground." This broke Halv's trance as he smirked. Everyone knew of Sam's phobia of heights. Sam had moved to the living area now to a full-body mirror as she attempted to salvage the torn uniform and her messy hair. She didn't notice Halvdan shifting uncomfortably behind the couch to hide his lower half. "Damn you! I just got this jacket too! Asshole." She flung the green garment to the ground, completely unaware of the torn sleeve which let Halv become mesmerised by her showing corset. It was A power pink with black edging, draped perfectly across her left, slightly freckled shoulder. Blue eyes traced the lines of muscles slightly showing due to this new angle as Halv lost himself in his wicked imagination. He watched as Sam's white gloves pierced through her dirty blonde hair and down the collar of her undershirt and could only hope he tore that enough to evoke it's removal as well. "You're paying for this," she grumbled. He didn't mind paying for the new uniform. Not at all.

"Yes m'lady," he replied teasingly. He didn't get a playful response in his opinion. About facing, storming towards him, and slapping him with her gloves was the last thing he had on his mind, yet there he stood, rubbing his cheek.

"How dare you," she growled threateningly. "Just because I'm a female doesn't mean you get to treat me differently. I'm still Sam, your General, and I deserve the respect those titles hold."

"Of course, General." Sam turned 180 again, going back to the mirror but froze mid-step. She sighed as she noticed why Halvdan had been slightly flirtatious moments ago: her corset was showing. She fell to the couch, holding her head.

"'Yes m'lady.' What did I ever do to you to be treated like your tavern wench? Expose my femininity," she asked Halvdan helplessly, pointing out the exposed garment but not looking at him. "I work as hard as you do, train with you, learn with you, fight with you, and I will probably die for you...yet you seem to forget all that just because I wear an extra garment that you do." Before Halvdan could speak up, Sam continued, "Do you know how long it takes me to get ready in the morning? To bind my breasts flat with roll upon roll of bandaging, and training corset, and a full-length corset? To practice what lie I will say today so I can get out of pissing in the woods with you guys? To avoid swimming? To rehearse my scratchy voice? To do ten times as many lifts, push-ups, sit-ups, squats as you do so I can compete with your size? Does that mean nothing, all because I bleed monthly? Because I speak at a higher-octave? Because I was born this way? You act like I can control it!" She flew off the couch, pacing. "I wish I could pee my name in the snow! I wish I could fuck whoever I wanted and not worry about consequences! I wish I could be in the Guard for who I am instead of the lie that I've become! But you don't care, do you pretty boy?"

"Well," Halvdan stuttered as he met Sam's powerful gaze, "I care that you're my friend. Does that not amount to anything? Being born with different genitalia doesn't change your personality. And that's what I fell in love with, to be perfectly honest with you. I care about you being happy." Sam stood there, panting from her earlier outburst, staring at her right-hand man.

"...seriously? I give you a feminist revival speech and that's what you give me?"

"What did you expect? I'm no philosopher." Sam smiled with a sigh and went back to her cloths flung onto the floor. She picked up her hat, trying to put it back on her head with no prevail. Halvdan chuckled.

"You know there's a huge mass of hair tangled right-"

"I know! Don't you think I would know that?"

"Then why are you trying to put the hat on?" For the second time that evening, Sam sunk to her knees in defeat.

"I know if I try to brush it out I'll get more upset because it hurts. Then I'm more upset because I'm in pain. Then I'm just pissed because I can never get the damn thing out and it just leads to me pulling all this hair out, which hurts more and makes me even more upset." Halvdan laughed behind her.

"Would you like me to brush it out for you?" He chuckled about his proposition to himself, knowing she would never agree to him brushing-

"Please?" His jaw about hit the floor. "I...I got in a fight with my hair brusher back home and...I don't want to get even more mad over my damn hair."

"Uh...okay...where's your brush?"

"In the bag." Halvdan started searching the bag when he heard Sam whimper, "Just dump it all out. I'll clean it up in the morning." Three uniforms, half a bag full of bandages, different sizes of corsets and underware, and another half a bag of books tumbled out with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hairbrush hidden in the front pocket. Seizing the brush, Halvdan shuffled over to Sam's side.

"Should I grab a chair-"

"I like the floor. It's kinda soft on this grass underneath the tent. Don't you think?" She didn't catch Halvdan's nod nor his small smile as he adjusted himself comfortably to brush his General's hair.

"It's why I had them build the tent here. It's the only thing you've ever been picky about while camping; sleeping somewhere soft." Tension grew with the silence that ensued, the sound of the brush on hair being the only sound filling the tent. After the mass of hair was untangled, Halvdan asked, "You going to tell me about this fight?"

"Not until you earn the respect I fought eleven years for. Granted, it might take you less time, but you still have to work for it."

"Understood." So Halvdan continued to brush Sam's hair until she fell asleep on the tent floor until he had to wake her for her evening post.


	27. Past: Chapter XXIII

Elsa was scared, cold, and alone. She had never felt so helpless in her life. She was almost kidnapped, taken to God knows where and used for God knew what. She was relieved that Sam was the one looking over the case, yet there she was, locked in her bedroom, as though nothing had happened. _This crime seems odd_, Elsa thought to herself. _A thief with nothing to gain, a soldier knowing what was happening when just to save me in the niche of time...and why is my father not involved in the case? Surely he of all people would find this concerning._ The princess slipped on her blue slippers and tiptoed out the bedroom door. The door closed with ease as Elsa started walking down the corridor only to run into the golden Guard.

"Highness?" Elsa covered her shriek with her tiny, delicate hands. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing," the Princess whispered harshly. She couldn't see the Guard's face, yet she could sense his humored expression. "And would you take that stupid helmet off, Sam? It's not like you're identity is a secret anyway."

"Must you hurt a man's pride so," the Guard teased. Elsa could see Sam's daring eyes watching her carefully.

"Maybe men shouldn't be so vain." Elsa felt a tremble cascade down her spine at the General's deep chuckle.

"Maybe you should be in bed."

"I will not sit helplessly waiting for my attacker to come back and kidnap me again!" _Plus...it's lonely in my room._

"Well you won't be helpless with the Guards protecting you." _You won't be alone with the Guards,_ Elsa's conscious kicked in.

_It's not like the Guards are physically in my room, though. I'm still locked in at night, like some canary._

_But canary's are beautiful. And they can sing wonderfully just like you._

_Fuck off._

"I want to help with the investigation."

"Princess, that's far too dangerous-"

"I will not sit idly while twirling my thumbs, letting all the boys do the work." The Guard leaned back, rocked back by the Princess' authority. "I am to be queen of this land. What kind of ruler would I be if I just sit back and never did anything?"

"That's a good point." Elsa was shocked. _Why is this Guard agreeing with me? None of the Guards agree with me. Hell, none of them ever listened to me before; they just take their orders and do. Why is this Guard...Sam...so different?_

_You're attracted to Sam, are you not? You were never the one to fall for the average man, Elsa._

_I told you to-_

_First it was the trapeze artist. Then the baker's son with the scar...what was his name? Halvdan? The brave, stupid boy who tried to stop a horse that was rearing back? Then it was Anna's private teacher Noland with his double-jointed-_

_Enough!_

"But I don't think it's safe to be wandering the castle at night. Perhaps you may investigate in the morning? While your parents are in meetings and there's no curfew?"

"You mean when the staff can watch me? I don't think so." Elsa pushed away from the General in defiance. She planned on starting at the end of the hall first, tracing back the steps of her capturer. At least, that was the plan until Sam picked her up with one arm and carried her back to her room. "Put me down!"

"Your Highness, it would be irresponsible of me to let you roam around by yourself-"

"Then go with me! Don't carry me like a doll!"

"I don't think dolls are commonly carried over an owner's shoulder." Elsa heard her bedroom door open and close as she struggled in the General's arms. _Dammit! Why is he so strong?_

_...isn't that a good thing?_

_I told you to fuck off! Leave me alone! _The bed creaked under the combined weight of Elsa's body and the soldier's arms. Tears of frustration clouded the princess' eyes. "Please don't cry," the General pleaded. "I'm just trying to-"

"Make me feel worthless like everybody else? Prove to me girls can't do what boys can do? That I'm just a child?" _If only you knew._ At this, Elsa froze. Her conscious never spoke about itself...her conscious was herself. There was no reason for that inner voice in her head to speak as though it were a different being entirely. Elsa was pulled back to reality when Sam's arms removed themselves from their grasp on her. She could still feel the soldier's strong arms on her shoulders, warm handprints engraved into the small of her back, her cheek still comforted by the heat left behind by Sam's neck.

"You are a child...but you won't be for much longer. Perhaps you should enjoy it while you can." With that, the General left the breathless princess and walked towards the door. The tall, shadowy figure stopped there, turned to the Princess and said, "Many people don't get to." And with that, the door closed.


	28. Present: Chapter VIII

If it wasn't for her standing, Sam would have fallen on her ass, dead asleep. The coronation took longer than she ever remembered. Even her little companion had fallen asleep in her arms. Many in the crowd had dozed off, including the Duke of Weasle Town. But Sam gave credit where credit was due; the Southern Isles boy was wide awake for the entire thing. Yet with all of his valor, Sam couldn't shake the bad feeling that he was up to something. _What do you want,_ she wondered as she tried to pass the time. The boy in her arms stirred slightly, turning from his left side to his right. Sam couldn't help but smile weakly as her gaze traveled from his innocent face to the innocent face of the royalty before her.


End file.
